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THE  HAND  OF 


PROVIDENC 


AS  SHOWN   IN  THE 

HISTORY     OF 

NATIONS  AND  INDIVIDUALS, 

From   the    Great   Apostasy  to  the  Restoration 

<*•>»  o~"'- 

>>"OP  THR        ^ 

UNIVERSITY] 


ILLUSTRATE 


E  L,  I=>  E  K.      J.     H. 


SALT    LAKE    CITY,     UTAH: 

Published    at    the    Juvenile     Instructor    Office. 
1883. 


J  COPYRIGHTED  BY  J.   H.   WARD.£ 

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(UN  IV  BE  SIT  Y) 


<&£&( 


PREFACE. 


DON'T  throw  this  book  down  carelessly.     It  will  do  you  no 
harm.     It  assumes  no  dictation.     It  may  benefit  you  if 
you  will  read  it  carefully. 

"  We  have  plenty  of  histories." 

True.  But  most  are  too  large  to  be  of  practical  value  to  the 
sons  and  daughters  of  toil.  Many  are  written  in  the  interest 
of  some  party  or  sect,  and  in  order  to  gain  favor,  they  natter 
the  vanity  of  men. 

"But  they  tell  of  wonderful  deeds,  and  thrilling  adven- 
tures." 

Very  true.  Some  of  them  are  mostly  composed  of  recitals 
of  legalized  slaughter,  and  praise  of  tyrants  who  have  climbed 
to  power  over  the  mangled  bodies  of  their  fellow-men,  and 
whose  names  will  not  live  in  one  grateful  memory ;  while  the 
real  benefactors  of  the  race,  the  unfolding  of  new  and  higher 
truths  and,  above  all,  the  over-ruling  hand  of  Grod  are  unnoticed, 
or,  at  most,  barely  mentioned. 

"Does  God  rule  the  world?  " 

Yes,  verily.  The  greatest  actors  on  the  theatre  of  the  world 
are  only  instruments  in  the  hand  of  God,  for  the  execution  of 
His  purposes. 

"Where  have  you  obtained  the  facts  contained  in  this 
volume?" 

From  many  authentic  works,  some  of  them  not  easily  acces- 
sible to  most  readers. 


"This  will  be  a  good  book  for  the  young,  and  all  those* 
who  have  not  the  opportunity  to  consult  larger  works, 
will  it  not?" 

With  this  idea  it  has  been  written  and  to  this  end  I  dedicate 
it  to  my  children  as  heirs  in  the  kingdom  of  Grod,  to  the  youth 
of  Zion  and  to  my  earnest  friends  everywhere. 

THE  AUTHOR. 
Salt  Lake  City, 

March  16th,  1883. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Injustice  of  Roman  Governors — Nero  Emperor — Vespasian 
and  Titus  Sent  to  Judea — Fortifications  of  Jerusalem — 
Titus  Offers  Terms  of  Peace — Horrors  of  the  Siege — 
Women  Devour  their  own  Children — Temple  Burned — 
City  Destroyed — Dispersion  of  the  Jews — Universal  Apos- 
tasy— Priesthood  no  More — Ideas  of  God  Perverted- 
Worship  Corrupted  with  Heathen  Rites — Persecution  of 
Christians — Emperor  Constantino — Rise  of  Monastic 
Order.  Page  9. 

CHAPTER  II. 

Description  of  Arabia — Arabian  Customs — Birth  of  Mahomet 
—Early  Life — Journey  to  Syria — Christian  Sects — Doc- 
trines Taught  by  Mahomet— His  Marriage— Proclaims 
Himself  a  Prophet — Persecution — Flees  to  Medina — 
Becomes  Powerful — Sickness  and  Death — Personal 
Appearance.  Page  20. 

CHAPTER  III. 

Causes  of  Triumphs — Abou-Beker  Elected  Caliph — War 
Declared— Fall  of  Bozrah— Battle  of  Aiznadin— Siege  of 
Jerusalem — Departure  of  Roman  Emperor — Saracen 
Fleet — Eastern  Conquests — Fall  of  Alexandria— Conquest 
of  Northern  Africa— Conquest  ^  of  Spain — Battle  of 
Poictiers — Extent  of  Saracen  Empire.  Page  27. 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Intellectual  Stagnation — Saracens  and  Jews  Revive  Learning 
— University  of  Bagdad — Public  Schools — Medical  Col- 
lege of  Cairo — Circulating  Library— Modern  Form  of 
Books — Arabic  Notation — Discoveries  in  Chemistry — 
Rotundity  of  the  Earth — Mariner's  Compass — Discoveries 
of  Alhazin — Astronomical  Observatories — Golden  Age  of 
Judaism — Cities  of  Andalusia — Saracen  Dwellings — Con- 
dition of  Women — Female  Physicians.  Page  34. 

CHAPTER  Y. 

Jerusalem  the  Sacred  City — Alexandria  Noted  for  Philosophy 
—School  of  Hypatia— Mob  Murders  Her— Doctrines  of 
Cyril — Jerusalem  a  Scene  of  Suffering — Fulfillment  ^  of 
Prophecy — Herculaneum  and  Pompeii — Their  Destruction 


VI.  CONTENTS. 

— Evidences  of  their  Wickedness — Excavations — Roman 
Rule — Removal  of  Capital — Crimes  of  Constantine — 
Commencement  of  Greek  Empire — Description  of  Con- 
stantinople— Its  Capture  by  Crusaders — Taken  by  the 
Turks — Intellectual  Degradation — Priestcraft — Debauch- 
ery— Turkish  Rule.  Page  44. 
CHAPTER  VI. 

Growth  of  Relic- Worship — Schemes  of  the  Roman  Pontiffs — 
Manufacture  of  Relics — Their  Great  Variety — Value  of 
Relics — Insults  Offered  to  Pilgrims — Peter  the  Hermit — 
Crusades — Disorderly  Rabble — Terrible  Suffering — Cap- 
ture of  Jerusalem — Terrible  Massacre — Capture  of  Con- 
stantinople— Crusades  of  the  Children — Results  of  the 
Crusades — Revival  of  Learning.  Page  53. 

CHAPTER  VII. 

The  Morning  Dawns — Rise  of  Knighthood — Principles  of 
Knights — Apostate  Priests  Held  in  Contempt — Waldenses 
— Persecutions  in  Southern  France — Rise  of  the  Inquisi- 
tion— Liberal  Policy  of  Frederick — "Everlasting  Gospel" 
— Its  Remarkable  Teachings — Bacon's  Discoveries — Geo- 
graphical Knowledge — Azores  and  Canary  Islands — 
Travels  of  Marco  Polo — Condition  of  European  States — 
Modern  States.  Page  64. 

CHAPTER   VIII. 

Lesson  from  Heathen  Mythology — Vicissitudes  of  Roman 
Church — Boniface  Pope — Advancement  in  Civilization — 
Work  of  the  Roman  Church — Invention  of  Printing — 
Gutenberg — Bible  First  Printed — Columbus — His  Wonder- 
ful Dream — His  Great  Voyage — Discovery  of  America — 
Trials  and  Triumphs.  Page  74. 

CHAPTER  IX. 

History  in  Words— British  Coat  of  Arms— The  Ten  Tribes- 
Account  of  Esdras-  Dispersion  of  the  Tribes— Mixed 
Seed  of  Israel — Effect  on  European  Society — Jewish 
Influence — Discovery  of  Cape  of  Good  Hope — Pacific 
Ocean  Discovered — Magellan's  Voyage — Discovers  Cape 
Horn — Distance  Sailed — Death  of  Magellan — Voyage 
Completed — Its  Effect  on  the  Public — Huss  and  Jerome 
Burned — John  Ziska — Persecutions  of  Waldenses — Cap- 
ture of  Mentz — Dispersion  of  Printers— Hans  Boheim — 
Joss  Fritz — Sale  of  Indulgences — Martin  Luther  Burns 
the  Pope's  Letter — Grand  Council  at  Worms — Rome  in  a 
Rage — Luther  Kidnapped.  Page  85. 

CHAPTER  X. 

Germany  Aroused — Peasants'  War — Muntzer's  Proclamation 
—Emperor  Quarrels  With  the  Pope — Results  in  Other 


CONTENTS.  Vn. 

Countries — Growth  in  Modern  Languages— Luther's 
Crowning  Work — Power  of  Superstition — Witchcr&ft— 
Reformers  not  Inspired — Extracts  from  Mosheim — Battle- 
Ax  of  God — Copernicus — Galileo— Newton— Death  of 
Bruno — Change  in  Commercial  Affairs — Spanish  Armada 
— Blessed  by  the  Pope — Destroyed  by  a  Storm — Its  Effect 
on  Europe— England's  Influence  and  Position — America 
the  Land  of  Refuge.  .  Page  97. 

CHAPTER  XL 

Columbus  Destroyed  Papal  Dogmas — Cruelty  of  Spaniards — 
Their  Retribution — Relics  in  Massachusetts — Newport 
Tower — Mounds  in  Ohio — Remains  Found  in  Iowa- 
Plates  Found  in  Illinois — Ancient  Mexican  Pyramids — 
Human  Sacrifices — View  from  the  Great  Pyramid — 
Ancient  American  Sculptures — Mammoths— Mexican 
Customs — Religious  Rites — Computation  of  Time — Arts 
and  Sciences — Description  of  Peru — Its  Civilization — 
Massacre  of  the  Incas — Testimony  of  Travelers — Indian 
Traditions.  Page  106. 

CHAPTER  XII. 

England's  Development — Reign  of  Elizabeth — Influence  of 
the  Bible — Tyranny  of  the  Kings — Jacques  Cartier — Dis- 
covery of  the  St.  Lawrence — Quebec  Founded — Acadia 
Colonized — Transferred  to  England — Extracts  from  Long- 
fellow's Poem — Virginia  Settled.  Page  123. 
CHAPTER  XIII. 

Character  of  the  Colonists— They  Leave  England — Sojourn  in 
Holland — Brewster's  Printing  Press — Puritans  Embark 
for  America — Their  Trust  in  God — Robinson's  Prophecy 
—Plymouth  Founded — Sufferings  of  the  Colonists — Con- 
flict in  England — Peculiarities  of  the  Puritans — Harvard 
College  Founded— Extent  of  Settlements— First  Confed- 
eration. Page  128. 
CHAPTER  XIV. 

Description  of  Holland — A  Land  of  Refuge — Tyranny  of  Alva 
—The  Struggle  for  Independence — Siege  of  Leyden — The 
Country  Submerged — Famine  in  the  City — Speech  of  the 
Mayor — Heroic  Conduct — Trust  in  God — Storm  Raises 
the  Waters — Spaniards  Retreat — Leyden  is  Saved — 
Thanksgiving — Waters  Retire.  Page  135. 

CHAPTER  XV. 

Rise  of  Quakerism— George  Fox — William  Penn— Founds 
Pennsylvania — Kindness  to  the  Indians — Philadelphia 
Founded— Maryland,  Carolina  and  Georgia  Settled — 
Roger  Williams — Rhode  Island  Founded — Its  Tolera- 
tion. Page  141. 


Vttl.  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER    XVI 

Condition  of  English  Society — Manufacture  of  Gin  and  Rurfi 
—Origin  of  Methodism — Eloquence  of  Whitfield— John 
and  Charles  Wesley — Remarkable  Teachings — Robert 
Raikes— John  Howard — William  Wilberforce — Mechani- 
cal Inventions — Growth  of  American  Freedom — Three 
Great  Battles — Cook's  Voyages— Extension  of  the  Eng- 
lish Language — Greatness  of  Pitt — Washington's  Early 
Life — Benjamin  Franklin.  Page  149. 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

Gathering  of  Political  Forces — General  Revolution — Civil 
Reformers — Decay  of  Old  Institutions — Rosseau  and  His 
Writings — Voltaire — Holland,  a  Political  Refuge — Amer- 
ican Settlers — Lines  of  Albert  B.  Street — Growth  of  the 
Colonies — Love  for  England — Causes  of  Revolution — 
Manufactures  Forbidden — Stamp  Act — Tax  on  Tea — 
Philadelphia  Convention — Address  to  the  King — Appeal 
To  England — To  Canada — Incident  in  Old  South  Church, 
Boston — Paul  Revere' s  Ride.  Page  161. 

CHAPTER    XVIII. 

Battle  of  Lexington — Officers  Chosen — A  Year  of  Discussion 
— Declaration  of  Independence — Spirit  of  English  Nobil- 
ity— Defeat  of  American  Forces — Success  at  Trenton  and 
Princeton — Sufferings  at  Valley  Forge — Washington's 
Prayer — Burgoyne's  Campaign — Arrival  of  La  Fayette — 
Arnold's  Treason — Andre's  Death — Siege  of  Yorktown — 
Close  of  the  War — Treaty  of  Peace — Army  Disbanded — 
Washington  Resigns  his  Commission — Constitutional  Con- 
vention— Washington  Elected  President — His  Death — 
His  Tomb.  Page  173. 

CHAPTER   XIX. 

Influence  of  La  Fayette — Despotism  in  France— The  Bastile — 
Corruption  of  the  Church — Commencement  of  the  Revolu- 
tion— The  Marseillaise — Its  Wonderful  Influence — Reign 
of  Terror — Napoleon  Bonaparte — His  Wonderful  Career — 
Jewish  Sanhedrim— Fall  of  Napoleon — His  Death — Pro- 
gress of  Liberty.  187. 
CHAPTER  XX. 

The  Genius  of  the  Age — European  Wars — American  Tranquil 
— Declaration  of  War — Divisions  of  North  America — 
United  States — Canada — Mexico — American  Common 
Schools — Their  Influence — Progress  of  Invention — First 
Steamboat — First  Locomotive — Electric  Telegraph — Im- 
provements in  Printing— Spiritual  Darkness — The  King- 
dom of  God — Wants  of  the  Present  Age— Joseph  Smith 
— His  Tragic  Death— Conclusion. 


THE    HAND    OF    PROVIDENCE. 


CHAPTER  I. 


THE  DESTRUCTION    OF  JERUSALEM   AND 

APOSTASY    OF    THE    EARLY 

CHURCH. 


INJUSTICE  OF  ROMAN  GOVERNORS — NERO  EMPEROR — VES- 
PASIAN AND  TITUS  SENT  TO  JUDEA — FORTIFICATIONS  OF 
JERUSALEM — TITUS  OFFERS  TERMS  OF  PEACE — HORRORS 
OF  THE  SIEGE — WOMEN  DEVOUR  THEIR  OWN  CHILDREN 
— TEMPLE  BURNED— CITY  DESTROYED — DISPERSION  OF 
THE  JEWS—UNIVERSAL  APOSTASY— PRIESTHOOD  NO  MORE 
—IDEAS  OF  GOD  PREVERTED — WORSHIP  CORRUPTED  WITH 
HEATHEN  RITES  —  PERSECUTION  OF  CHRISTIANS  — 
EMPEROR  CONSTANTINE — RISE  OF  MONASTIC  ORDER. 

ACCORDING-  to  the  best  records  that  have  come  down  to 
us,  the  last  book  of  the  New  Testament  (commonly 
called  the  Apocalypse  of  St.  John)  was  written  about  sixty 
years  after  the  ascension  of  our  Savior. 

At  that  time  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  had  been  preached 
in  all  the  principal  cities  and  countries  of  the  known  world. 
Numerous  branches  of  the  primitive  church  had  been  planted 
in  Palestine,  Syria,  Egypt,  Asia  Minor,  Greece  and  Italy. 

In  the  meantime  the  awful  doom  which  the  Savior  predicted 
against  Jerusalem  had  been  literally  fulfilled.  Shortly  after 
the  crucifixion  and  ascension  of  the  Savior,  Judea  became  the 
theatre  of  many  cruelties  and  oppressions  arising  from  conten- 
tions between  the  Jewish  priests,  the  depredations  of  numerous 
bands  of  robbers,  which  infested  the  country ;  but  more  than 
all  from  the  injustice  and  avarice  of  the  Roman  governors. 


10 


THE   HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 


The  last  of  these  governors  was  Gessius  Florus,  whom 
Josephus  represents  as  a  monster  in  wickedness  and  cruelty, 
and  whom  the  Jews  regarded  rather  as  a  bloody  executioner, 
sent  to  torture;  than  as  a  magistrate  to  govern  them. 


During  the  govern  merit  of  Felix,  his  predecessor,  a  dispute 
having  arisen  between  the  Jews  and  Syrians  about  the  city  of 
Caesarea,  their  respective  claims  were  referred  to  the  emperor, 
Nero,  at  Home.  The  decision  was  in  favor  of  the  Syrians, 
and  the  Jews  immediately  took  up  arms  to  avenge  their 
cause. 


HORRORS   OF  THE  SIEGE.  11 

In  this  state  of  things,  Nero  gave  orders  to  Vespasian  to 
march  into  Judea  with  a  powerful  army.  Accordingly.  Ves- 
pasian, accompanied  by  his  son  Titus,  marched  into  Palestine 
at  the  head  of  60,000  well-disciplined  troops.  While  Vespasian 
was  thus  preparing  more  effectually  to  curb  the  still  unbroken 
spirit  of  the  Jews,  intelligence  arrived  of  the  death  of  the 
emperor  and  his  own  election  to  the  throne.  Departing  !here- 
fore  for  Rome  he  left  the  best  of  his  troops  with  his  son,  order- 
ing him  to  besiege  and  utterly  destroy  Jerusalem. 

Titus  lost  no  time  in  carrying  into  effect  his  father's  injunc- 
tion. Jerusalem  was  strongly  fortified  both  by  nature  and  art. 
Three  walls  surrounded  it  which  were  considered  impregnable; 
besides  which  it  had  numerous  towers  outside  of  the  walls, 
lofty,  firm  and  strong.  The  circumference  was  nearly  four 
miles. 

Desirous  of  saving  the  city,  Titus  repeatedly  sent  offers  of 
peace  to  the  inhabitants ;  but  they  were  indignantly  rejected. 
At  length  finding  all  efforts  at  treaty  ineffectual,  he  entered 
upon  the  siege  determined  not  to  leave  it  until  he  had  razed 
the  city  to  its  foundation. 

The  internal  state  of  the  city  soon  became  horrible.  The 
inhabitants  being  divided  in  their  counsels  fought  with  one 
another,  and  the  streets  were  often  deluged  with  blood  shed  by 
the  hands  of  kindred.  In  the  meantime  famine  spread  its 
horrors  abroad,  and  pestilence  its  ravages,  Thousands  died 
daily  and  were  carried  out  of  the  gates  to  be  buried  at  the 
public  expense ;  until  being  unable  to  hurry  them  to  the  grave 
the  wretched  victims  were  thrown  into  houses  as  fast  as  they 
fell,  and  there  shut  up. 

During  the  prevalence  of  the  famine,  the  house  of  a  certain 
woman  by  the  name  of  Miriam  was  repeatedly  plundered  of  such 
provisions  as  she  had  been  able  to  procure.  So  extreme  did 
her  suffering  become,  that  she  entreated  those  around  her,  to 
put  an  end  to  her  miserable  existence.  At  length  frantic  with 
fury  and  despair  she  snatched  her  infant  from  her  bosom, 
killed  and  cooked  it;  and  having  satiated  her  present  hunger, 
concealed  the  rest.  The  smell  of  food  soon  drew  the  voracious 
human  tigers  to  her  house;  they  threatened  her  with  tortures 

she  hid  her  provisions  from  them.     Being  thus  compelled 


12  THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

she  set  before  them  the  relics  of  her  mangled  babe.  At  the 
sight  of  this  horrid  spectacle,  inhuman  as  they  were,  they 
stood  aghast,  petritied  with  horror,  and  at  length  rushed  pre- 
cipitately from  the  house. 

When  the  report  of  this  spread  through  the  city,  the  con- 
sternation was  universal  and  inexpressible.  The  people  now, 
for  the  lirst  time,  began  to  think  themselves  forsaken  of  God. 
In  the  mind  of  Titus  the  recital  awakened  both  horror  and 
indignation,  and  he  resolved  to  push  the  siege  with  still  greater 
vigor,  aiming  particularly  to  obtain  possession  of  the  temple. 
The  preservation  of  this  noble  edifice  was  strongly  desired  by 
him ;  but  one  of  the  Roman  soldiers  being  exasperated  by  the 
Jews,  or,  as  Josephus  says,  "pushed  on  by  the  hand  of  Provi- 
dence," seized  a  blazing  firebrand,  and  getting  on  his  comrades' 
shoulders,  threw  it  through  a  window,  and  soon  the  whole  north 
side  was  in  a  flame.  Titus  immediately  gave  order  to  extin- 
guish the  fire ;  but  the  enraged  soldiers,  bent  on  destroying  the 
city  and  all  it  contained,  either  did  not  hear  or  did  not  regard 
him.  The  flames  continued  to  spread  until  this  consecrated 
edifice,  the  glory  of  the  nation,  became  one  mingled  heap  of 
ruins.  Then  followed  a  terrible  massacre  in  which  thousands 
perished,  some  in  the  flames  and  others  by  the  sword  of  the 
enemy.  At  length  the  city  was  abandoned  to  the  fury  of  the 
soldiers.  It  is  said  that  nearly  one  million  five  hundred 
thousand  persons  perished  in  the  siege. 

The  conquest  of  the  city  being  achieved,  Titus  proceeded  to  - 
demolish  its  noble  structures,  its  fortifications,  palaces  and  walls. 
So  literally  were  the  predictions  of  the  Savior  fulfilled  respect- 
ing its  destruction  that  not  one  stone  was  left  upon  another 
that  was  not  thrown  down. 

From  that  day  the  Jews  have  been  dispersed  through  the 
world,  despised  and  hated,  persecuted  and  yet  upheld — lost  as 
it  were  among  the  nations,  and  yet  distinct — they  live  as  the 
monuments  of  the  truth  of  God. 

While  the  apostles  lived  the  churches  planted  by  them  con- 
tinued to  exist  with  more  or  less  of  spiritual  life. 

But  the  spirit  of  apostasy  was  already  at  work.  In  some 
places  pagan  rites  and  ceremonies  had  perverted  the  worship 
of  the  true  God  and  but  few  could  be  found  who  remained 


UNIVERSAL  APOSTASY.  13 

pure  amid  the  corruptions  of  the  age  or  undaunted  by  the 
trials  and  persecutions  that  surrounded  them  on  every  side. 

So  universal  was  this  apostasy  that  only  sev.en  churches 
throughout  Asia,  Africa  and  Europe  were  considered  worthy 
of  being  either  reproved  or  blessed  by  the  voice  of  revelation. 
( See  Revelations  2nd  and  3rd  chapters. ) 

The  whole  eastern  continent  of  which  we  have  , authentic 
history  was  at  that  period  under  the  control  of  Rome,  and 
paganism  was  the  religion  of  the  empire.  Thus  the  whole 
power  of  the  realm  was  brought  to  bear  against  the  infant 
church. 

Pagan  priests  excited  the  populace  to  frenzy,  and  royal 
decrees  delivered  the  saints  to  the  most  terrible  tortures  and 
death. 

In  a  few  years  the  apostolic  organization  and  priesthood 
were  no  more.  A  few  glimmerings  of  spiritual  light  remained 
for  a  short  time,  among  those  who  had  taken  refuge  in  the 
catacombs  or  subterranean  vaults  of  Rome,  or  had  fled  to  the 
wilds  of  the  Libyan  desert.  But  even  this  light  was  soon 
extinguished,  and  then  fell  that  mental,  moral,  and  spirituul 
night  from  which  mankind  are  only  now  slowly  emerging. 

But  false  religion  could  never  satisfy  the  cravings  of.  the 
immortal  soul. 

Paganism  presented  only  a  cheerless  prospect.  It  gave- 
itself  no  concern  for  the  lowly  and  unfortunate,  limited  the 
hopes  and  destiny  of  man  to  this  present  life,  and  taught  him 
that  temporal  prosperity  might  be  selfishly  gained  at  any  cost 
to  others  in  property  and  suffering.  For  example,  Rome,  for 
many  ages  had  enriched  herself  with  the  wealth  of  conquered 
nations,  and  impoverished  them  that  her  sons  and  daughters 
might  live  in  luxury  and  grandeur.  Yet  throughout  her  vast 
dominions  there  were  no  institutions  of  benevolence ;  no  hos- 
pitals for  the  sick,  no  asylums  for  the  afflicted  or  unfortunate. 
The  pleasant  pastimes  of  her  populace  were  to  witness  scenes 
of  cruelty;  and  the  most  refined  ladies  of  that  period  eagerly 
thronged  the  amphitheatres  to  view  the  agonies  of  captives 
from  distant  tribes  or  early  Christian  martyrs  as  they  were 
throvfti  to  famished  and  enraged  wild  beasts  in  the  public 
arena.  Many  of  the  early  Christains  were  thus  put  to  death 


H  TEE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

in  the  Coliseum,  the  ruins  of  which  are  shown  in  the  engrav- 
ing. 


No  wonder  then  that  when^ne'  church  was  taken  from  the 
earth,  and  its  forms  amalgamated  with  pagan  institutions,  the 


IDEAS   OF   GOD   PERVERTED.  15 

world  presented  an  unparalleled  scene  of  carnage  and  cruelty, 
bloodshed  and  terror. 

But  Rome,  was  destined  to  endure  a  terrible  retribution. 
The  northern  barbarians  whom  she  had  so  long  oppressed, 
and  from  whom  she  had  drawn  many  of  the  victims  of  her 
gladiatorial  combats  now  wreaked  their  long-sought  vengeance, 
spreading  terror  and  devastation  wherever  they  went. 

One  of  them,  Attila,  king  of  the  Huns,  called  himself  the 
scourge  of  God,  and  boasted  that  grass  never  grew  where  his 
horse  had  trodden.  These  incursions  spread  an  intellectual 
famine  throughout  Europe.  The  only  men  of  learning  were 
the  monks,  who  seldom  left  their  cloisters,  and  the  only  books 
were  manuscripts  concealed  in  the  libraries  of  the  monasteries. 
Not  only  were  the  common  people  extremely  ignorant,  but 
also  the  rich  and  noble,  and  even  the  kings  could  scarcely  read 
or  write.  The  reign  of  superstition  was  universal.  The  sim- 
plicity of  primitive  worship  was  changed  to  an  unmeaning 
round  of  rites  and  ceremonies :  and  the  glorious  principles  of 
the  gospel  were  hidden  from  sight  by  a  dark  cloud  of  ignorance, 
ni37sticism  and  unintelligible  jargon,  out  of  which  there  too  often 
flashed  the  lurid  lightenings  of  priestly  vengeance  and  persecu- 
tions. 

The  Lord,  speaking  by  the  mouth  of  Jeremiah,  says, 
"My  people  have  committed  two  errors;  they  have  forsaken 
me,  the  fountain  of  living  waters  and  hewed  them  out  cisterns, 
broken  cisterns  that  can  hold  no  water."  When  the  voice  of 
revelation  was  hushed  men  began  to  follow  fables  and  tradi- 
tions, and  he  who  possessed  the  livliest  imagination  invented 
the  greatest  number. 

They,  instead  of  the  word  of  God,  became  the  rule  of  life; 
and  men  sought  by  bodily  suffering  to  purchase  admission  to 
the  courts  of  heaven. 

We  pity  the  devotee  of  India,  who  measures  by  the  length 
of  his  body,  the  wearisome  journey  of  hundreds  of  miles;  or 
the  fakir  who  sits  with  his  legs  in  an  upright  position,  for 
years  until  the  limbs  becomes  withered,  distorted  and  useless. 
But  what  shall  we  say  of  a  professed  follower  of  the  Savior 
who  makes  a  pilgrimage  of  a  thousand  miles  with  sharp  spikes 
driven  into  the  inside  of  his  shoes,  by  which  his  feet  are  lacer- 


if. 


THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 


FAKIR. 


WORSHIP  CORRUPTED   WITH  HEATHEN   RITES.  17 

ated  at  every  step !  Or  of  one  who  spends  the  greater  part  of 
his  life  sitting  on  a  column  thirty  feet  high  and  only  three  feet 
in  diameter,  through  all  the  vicissitudes  of  the  seasons,  storm 
and  sunshine,  cold  and  heat,  with  the  idea  that,  by  this  means, 
he  could  secure  salvation  and  exaltation  in  the  presence  of 
God !  Surely  it  was  the  self-same  pagan  idea  that  actuated 
all. 

In  those  days,  also,  even  the  forms  and  ceremonies  of  the 
primitive  church  underwent  complete  transformation.  Pagan 
rites  were  celebrated  at  Christian  festivals,  and  days  com- 
memorative of  great  events  were  made  to  conform  to  the  times 
appointed  for  the  worship  of  heathen  divinities. 

For  example,  the  festival  of  Easter  as  observed  by  the 
Catholic  church,  was  and  still  is  degraded  by  pagan  rites. 
And  the  day  that  commemorates  our  Savior's  birth,  which 
event  took  place  in  April,  when  the  shepherds  were  abroad  on 
the  plains  of  Bethlehem,  with  their  flocks,  was  changed  from 
the  beautiful  Spring  time  to  the  dark  and  gloomy  December, 
that  it  might  conform  to  a  day  already  set  apart  for  pagan 
ceremonies,  and  by  this  means  was  secured  its  universal  observ- 
ance. 

The  ideas  concerning  God  were  also  perverted.  Space  will 
permit  only  a  glance  at  this  subject.  The  passions  that  were 
said  to  control  the  character  of  heathen  gods  were  attributed 
to  the  great  Creator  and  loving  Father  of  us  all.  He  was 
represented  as  delighting  in  vengeance ;  and  glorying  in  the 
eternal  sufferings  of  His  creatures.  Thus  the  most  inhuman 
persecutors  claimed  they  were  doing  His  will;  and  hence 
arose  the  doctrine  of  endless  torments  beyond  the  grave,  which 
still  disgraces  nearly  all  the  sects  of  Christendom.  The 
doctrine  of  fate  has  ever  been  a  prominent  doctrine  of  pagan 
religions. 

This  dogma  was  also  engrafted  into  their  creed ;  hence,  we 
find  learned  teachers  of  the  present  age  gravely  asserting  that, 
owing  to  the  unalterable  decrees  of  Grod,  there  are  young  and 
irresponsible  infants,  scarcely  a  span  in  length,  who  are  and 
ever  will  be  doomed  to  suffer  the  torments  of  the  lost. 

Such  was  the  condition  of  the  social  and  religious  world  at 
the  time  of  the  Emperor  Constantine. 


18  THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

This  politic  prince  was  not  a  man  of  religious  convictions, 
but  hoping  to  consolidate  his  power  and  gain  vast  numbers  of 
adherents  he  granted  universal  religious  toleration  and  even 
went  so  far  as  to  proclaim  himself  a  Christian. 

This  act  of  toleration  gave  a  temporary  protection  to  all 
classes  and  was  of  especial  benefit  to  those  who  wished  to 
retire  from  the  confusion  and  corruption  of  the  age,  and 
spend  their  lives  in  pursuit  of  science,  literature  and 
philosophy. 

Such  were  the  tasteless  and  often  brutal  amusements,  the 
low  sensuality,  the  base  intrigue  and  bloody  warfare  of  those 
times,  that  many  longed  for  retirement  and  seclusion. 

Men  and  also  women,  sometimes  of  the  highest  rank, 
awoke,  suddenly  to  the  discovery  that  life  was  given  them  for 
nobler  purposes. 

Loathing  society,  despising  themselves,  and  often  their  com- 
panions, to  whom  they  had  been  wedded  in  loveless  marriages 
— companions  whose  infidelities  and  licentiousness  they  had 
too  often  to  endure,  they  fled  from  a  world  which  had  sated 
and  sickened  them. 

Thus  arose  the  monastic  order. 

By  the  side  of  Alpine  torrents  and  in  the  valleys  of  Pied- 
mont, by  the  rocky  shores  of  the  beautiful  ^Egean  sea  and 
on  its  lonely  yet  lovely  islands,  as  well  as  on  the  classic  hill- 
sides of  Judea,  arose  thousands  of  monasteries. 

At  first,  no  doubt  ,the  inmates  sought  for  a  higher  and  purer 
life;  but  after  a  time  they  too  sunk  into  luxury,  licentiousness 
and  debauchery. 

Yet  these  monastic  institutions  served  one  good  purpose, 
and  that  one  was  important.  During  these  perilous  times 
science  and  literature  here  found  an  asylum.  Libraries  were 
formed  and  carefully  preserved,  which,  on  the  restoration  of 
learning,  were  of  great  value  to  the  world. 

The  foregoing  will  indicate  to  some  extent  the  condition  of 
mankind  at  the  close  of  the  sixth  century  of  the  Christian  era. 
The  light  of  antiquity  had  perished.  The  dawn  of  modern 
days  had  not  yet  gilded  the  eastern  horizon.  Tjtie  world  pre- 
sented over  its  whole  surface  one  vast  field  of  contention  and 


THE  MIDNIGHT  HOUR  OF   HUMAN   HISTORY.  19 

bloodshed,  with  scarcely  an  object  sufficiently  prominent  to 
excite  interest  or  deserve  attention. 

It  was  the  midnight  hour  of  human  history. 

Though  the  early  church  had  been  destroyed  and  the  priest- 
hood taken  from  the  earth ;  yet  God  did  not  give  it  up  as  lost, 
nor  entirely  withdraw  His  Spirit.  Then  as  now  "the  earth  is 
the  Lord's,"  and  He  will  yet  make  good  His  claim  to  it.  It  is 
a  blood-bought  world,  and  He  who  ransomed  it  at  so  dear  a 
price  will  one  day  return  to  rule  over  it  as  King  of  kings  and 
Lord  of  lords.  The  earth  that  was  bedewed  with  the  Savior's 
tears  and  sweat — the  earth  that  was  trodden  by  His  hallowed 
feet — the  earth  that  drank  His  life  blood  shall  yet  throw  off 
the  curse  that  has  so  long  blighted  it  and  receive  its  paradisaic 
glory. 

Through  agencies  the  most  diverse  the  minds  of  men  were 
developed  and  disciplined  for  the  reception  of  truth  until  in  the 
Lord's  due  time  in  a  prepared  place  and  among  a  people  pre- 
pared to  receive  His  truth,  He  would  again  restore  His  priest- 
hood, and  set  up  His  kingdom  upon  the  earth. 


20  THE  HAND   OP  PROVIDENCE. 


CHAPTER    II. 

MAHOMET. 


DESCRIPTION  OF  ARABIA — ARABIAN  CUSTOMS — BIRTH  OF 
MAHOMET — EARLY  LIFE — JOURNEY  TO  SYRIA — CHRISTIAN 
SECTS — DOCTRINES  TAUGHT  BY  MAHOMET — HIS  MARRIAGE 
— PROCLAIMS  HIMSELF  A  PROPHET — PERSECUTION — FLEES 
TO  MEDINA — BECOMES  POWERFUL — SICKNESS  AND  DEATH 
— PERSONAL  APPEARANCE. 

FAR  away  in  the  south-western  part  of  Asia,  lies  a  strange 
and  peculiar  country  called  Arabia.  It  is  bounded  on  the 
north  by  Syria,  on  the  east  by  the  Persian  Gulf,  on  the  south 
by  the  Indian  Ocean,  and  on  the  west  by  the  Red  Sea,  and 
comprises  more  than  a  million  of  square  miles,  or  about  twelve 
times  the  area  of  Utah. 

This  vast  region  possesses  a  diversified  landscape.  In  some 
places  vast  sandy  deserts  stretch  away  farther  than  the  eye  can 
reach ;  in  others,  immense  piles  of  dark  volcanic  rock  rear  aloft 
their  barren  peaks,  around  whose  base  the  dry,  hot  winds  have 
drifted  the  sands  of  the  desert  for  untold  centuries.  However, 
in  the  secluded  valleys  of  the  mountains,  and  along  the  base 
of  the  great  mountain  chains,  may  be  found  many  fertile 
tracts,  where,  watered  by  pure  and  never-failing  mountain 
streams,  and  warmed  by  the  rays  of  a  tropical  sun,  the  earth 
produces  in  abundance  nearly  every  kind  of  grain,  vegetable, 
fruit,  flower  and  aromatic  shrub  that  can  conduce  to  the  happi- 
ness of  man.  Indeed,  some  portions  are  so  wonderfully  pro- 
ductive, that  in  ancient  as  well  as  modern  times  it  has  received 
the  significant  title  of  "Araby  the  blest." 

Most  of  the  inhabitants  of  this  country  are  generally  con- 
sidered to  be  the  descendants  of  Ishmael,  the  son  of  Abraham. 
Many  of  them  lead  a  wild,  nomadic  life,  supported  by  their 
flocks  and  herds  and  the  spontaneous  productions  of  the  soil, 


ARABIAN  CUSTOMS.  21 

and  retain  among  their  laws  and  customs,  many  of  the  usages 
that  prevailed  in  the  primitive,  patriarchal  times  of  their  great 
ancestor. 

Others  live  in  towns  and  cities  and  engage  in  commerce, 
either  with  foreign  countries  or  with  distant  parts  of  their  own 
land. 

The  usual  method  of  transporting  their  merchandise  is  on 
the  backs  of  camels,  and  sometimes  sfiyerdl  hundred  or  even  a 
thousand  of  these  animals,  accompanied  by  their  drivers,  may 
be  seen  slowly  wending  their  way  across  the  desert,  carrying 
with  them  the  coffee  of  Mocha  and  spices  of  Muscat  to  the 
distant  cities  of  Bagdad  and  Damascus. 

As  among  the  Jews  the  ruling  priests  were  chosen  from 
the  tribe  of  Levi  and  family  of  Aaron,  so,  among  the  ancient 
Arabs,  the  guardians  of  the  sacred  things  of  their  worship 
were  chosen  from  the  tribe  of  Koreish  and  family  of 
flaschem. 

Abd-Al-Mutallib  was  the  ruling  priest  in  Mecca,  the  sacred 
city  of  Arabia,  at  the  time  that  his  grandson,  Mahomet,  was 
born,  which  event  occurred  at  Mecca,  in  the  year  570  of  the 
Christian  era. 

Of  Mahomet's  parents,  but  little  is  recorded,  except  that 
his  father,  Abdallah,  was  remarkable  for  his  commanding 
presence  and  great  personal  beauty,  He  died  when  his  future 
illustrious  son  was  only  two  months  old.  Amina,  his  mother, 
who  is  said  to  have  been  of  Jewish  descent,  also  died  when 
Mahomet  was  only  six  years  old. 

The  early  life  of  Mahomet  was  spent  in  the  house  of  his 
Uncle,  Abou  Taleb,  who  had  become  the  principal  guardian 
of  the  Ca-aba,  or  great  temple,  of  ancient  Arabian  worship. 

The  ceremonies  and  devotions  connected  with  this  temple- 
worship  may  have  given  an  early  bias  to  Mahomet's  mind,  and 
inclined  it  to  those  speculations  and  ideas  in  which  it  after- 
wards became  engrossed.  His  education  in  childhood  seems 
to  have  been  neglected ;  for  he  was  not  taught  either  to  read 
or  write.  But  he  was  a  thoughtful  child,  quick  to  observe,  prone 
to  meditate  on  all  that  he  had  observed,  and  possessed  of  an 
imagination  fertile,  daring  and  expansive. 


22  THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

At  the  age  of  twelve  years,  Mahomet  solicited  the  privilege 
of  accompanying  his  uncle,  Aboii  Taleb,  to  Syria,  whither  he 
was  about  to  conduct  a  caravan.  Their  route  lay  through 
regions  fertile  in  fables  and  traditions,  which  it  is  the  delight 
of  the  Arabs  to  recount  in  the  evening  halts  of  the  caravan. 

With  an  attentive  ear,  the  youthful  Mahomet  listened  to 
those  tales  of  enchantment  and  wonderful  events  which  hap- 
pened in  days  of  old,  and  doubtless  imbibed  ideas  that  had  a 
powerful  influence  on  him  in  his  after  life.  In  this  journey  also  he 
listened  to  the  conversation  of  many  of  those  exiles  from  the 
Christian  sects,  who,  in  fleeing  from  persecution  had  taken 
refuge  in  the  wilds  of  Northern  Arabia.  Thus  he  learned 
many  facts  concerning  the  Christian  religion. 

Having  arrived  at  the  city  of  Bozrah,  which  was  situated  on 
the  confines  of  Syria,  about  seventy  miles  south  of  Damascus, 
Mahomet  was  entertained  at  a  Nestorian  convent.  One  of 
the  monks  named  Bahira,  was  very  much  interested  by  the 
spirit  of  inquiry  and  intelligence  which  the  youth  manifested, 
especially  on  religious  subjects,  and  gave  him  all  possible 
information. 

Mahomet  returned  to  Mecca,  his  imagination  teeming  with 
the  wild  tales  and  traditions  picked  up  in  the  desert,  and  his 
mind  deeply  impressed  with  the  teachings  he  had  received 
among  the  Nestorians. 

In  order  that  we  may  understand  the  nature  of  the  teachings 
which  Mahomet  received  on  this  and  subsequent  journeys  to 
Syria,  an  enumeration  of  the  leading  dogmas  of  the  jarring 
sects  of  oriental  Christians  will  be  necessary : 

The  most  numerous  of  these  sects  were  the  Arians,  so  called 
from  Arius,  a  great  religious  teacher  of  Alexandria.  They 
claimed  that  Jesus  Christ  was  the  Son  of  God,  the  Father;  that 
His  existenee-.commenced  at  His  advent  in  this  world;  that  He 
was  created  for  a  special  mission,  but  was  subject  to  the  influ- 
ences of  virtue  and  vice  like  common  mortals. 

The  followers  of  Nestorius,  the  great  bishop  of  Constanti- 
nople, were  also  very  numerous;  and  Mahomet,  in  his  subse- 
quent journeys  to  Syria,  frequently  came  in  contact  with  them. 
They  claimed  that  Christ  had  two  distinct  natures,  human  and 
divine;  that  Jesus  was  a  man;  that  Mary  was  only  His 


CHRISTIAN  SECTS.  23 

mother  according  to  the  flesh,  and  that  it  was  an  abomination 
to  style  her  "Mary  the  mother  of  God,"  as  was  and  still  is  the 
custom  of  the  Catholic  church. 

Another  sect  was  the  Marianites,  or  worshipers  of  Mary. 
They  regarded  the  trinity  as  consisting  of  God,  the  eternal 
Father,  Mary,  the  eternal  mother,  and  Christ,  their  Son. 

The  Valentinians  were  another  sect,  who  taught  -tha*t  Jesus 
Christ  was  only  a  wise  and  virtuous  mortal,  selected  by  God 
to  reform  and  instruct  mankind.  Their  creed  is  still  professed 
by  some  of  the  Unitarian  sects  of  the  present  day. 

The  Nazarenes  w.ere  a  sect  of  Jewish  Christians,  who  con- 
sidered Christ  as  the  promised  Messiah,  but  conformed  in 
all  other  respects  to  the  rites  and  ceremonies  of  the  Mosaic 
law. 

Many  other  sects  might  be  enumerated  who  took  their 
names  from  learned  and  zealous  leaders,  and  who  were 
subdivided  into  various  and  opposing  parties  of  fanatical 
enthusiasts. 

A  glance  at  these  dissentions  which  convulsed  society  at  this 
period  is  sufficient  to  acquit  Mahomet  of  any  charge  of  con- 
scious blasphemy  in  the  opinions  he  taught  concerning  the 
nature  and  mission  of  our  Savior, 

The  principal  doctrines  taught  by  Mahomet  were  drawn 
from  the  writings  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments.  He  recog- 
nized in  all  about  three  hundred  prophets.  This  number 
included  all  the  ancient  worthies  of  the  Old  Testament,  as  well 
as  the  Savior  and  the  apostles,  evangelists  and"  martyrs  men- 
tioned in  the  New.  However,  four  persons  were  considered  as 
greater  prophets  than  the  rest,  and  were  reverenced  as  the 
founders,  of  four  distinct  dispensations.  These  were  Abraham, 
Moses,  Jesus  and  Mahomet. 

The  book  containing  the  writings  and  revelations  of  Mahomet 
is  commonly  called  the  Koran.  However,  Mahomet  should 
not  be  held  responsible  for  all  that  the  Koran  contains,  as  there 
is  abundant  evidence  that  it  has  been  changed  and  corrupted 
in  many  places  since  his  death. 

Prayer,  fasting  and  acts  of  charity  are  inculcated  by  it. 
Merchants  were  especially  commanded  to  perform  acts  of 
charity,  as  they  were  the  class  who  were  most  liable  to  the  sins 


24  THE  HAND  OF  PROVIDENCE. 

of  deception  and  extortion.  The  creed  which  all  were  required 
to  believe,  was  simply,  "There  is  one  God,  and  Mahomet  is 
His  prophet." 

But  little  is  known  of  Mahomet's  history  between  his  twelfth 
and  twenty-fifth  year.  He  seems  to  have  been  engaged  prin- 
cipally in  conducting  caravans  across  the  desert.  He  thereby 
gained  much  practical  knowledge,  and  became  known  as  a 
young  man  of  ability  and  integrity,  pleasing  appearance,  and 
engaging  manners. 

At  the  age  of  twenty-five,  he  became  the  steward  or  business 
agent  of  a  certain  wealthy  widow,  named  Cadijah;  and  a  few 
years,  later  she  married  him  and  faithfully  followed  him  till 
her  death,  through  all  the  vicissitudes  of  his  strange  and 
eventful  life. 

When  Mahomet,  in  his  fortieth  year,  proclaimed  himself  the 
prophet  of  God,  Cadijah  replied,  "I  will  be  thy  first  believer. " 
They  knelt  down  in  prayer  together. 

Twelve  centuries  have  passed  since  then,  and  nine  thousand 
millions  of  human  beings  have  followed  her  example. 

We  are  told  that  as  Mahomet  lay  wrapped  in  his  mantle, 
in  the  silent  watches  of  the  night,  he  heard  a  voice  calling 
upon  him.  Uncovering  his  head,  a  flood  of  light  burst 
upon  him  of  such  intolerable  splendor  that  he  swooned 
away. 

On  regaining  his  senses,  he  beheld  an  angel,  who,  approach- 
ing him  from  a  distance,  displayed  a  scroll,  covered  with  written 
characters.  "Read,"  said  the  angel. 

"I  know  not  how  to  read,"  replied  Mahomet. 

"Head,"  repeated  the  angel,  "in  the  name  of  God,  who  has 
created  all  things," 

Upon  this,  Mahomet  instantly  felt  his  understanding 
illumined,  and  read  what  was  written.  These  words  were  after- 
wards promulgated  in  the  Koran,  which  also  contains  many  of 
the  doctrines  taught  in  the  New  Testament. 

When  he  had  finished  reading,  the  heavenly  messenger 
announced,  "0,  Mahomet,  verily  thou  art  a  prophet  of  God, 
and  I  am  His  angel  Gabriel. ' ' 

Mahomet,  we  are  told,  came  trembling  and  agitated  to 
Cadijah  in  the  morning,  arid  told  her  what  he  had  seen  and 


MAHOMET  FLEES  TO   MEDINA.  25 

heard.  She  saw  everything  with  the  eye  of-  faith,  and 
embraced  those  teachings  with  the  devotion  of  an  affectionate 
woman. 

u Joyful  tidings  dost  thou  bring!"  exclaimed  she.  "By 
Him  in  whose  hand  is  the  soul  of  Cadijah,  I  henceforth  regard 
thee  as  the  prophet  of  our  nation.  Rejoice!  rejoice!  Allah 
will  not  suffer  thee  to  come  to  shame.  Hast  thou  not  been 
loving  to  thy  kindred,  kind  to  thy  neighbors,  charitable  to  the 
poor,  hospitable  to  the  stranger,  faithful  to  thy  word,  and  ever 
a  defender  of  the  truth?" 

The  announcement  of  Mahomet's  message  provoked  bitter 
opposition  among  his  kindred.  Only  one  of  them,  his  cousin 
Ali,  became  his  disciple.  Those  who  had  known  him  from  his 
infancy,  who  had  seen  him  a  boy  about  the  streets  of  Mecca, 
and  afterwards  engaged  in  the  ordinary  concerns  of  life,  scoffed 
at  the  idea  of  his  assuming  the  prophetic  character.  When 
he  walked  the  streets  he  was  subjected  to  jeers  arid  insults.  If 
he  attempted  to  preach,  his  voice  was  drowned  by  discordant 
noises  and  ribald  songs.  As  gradually  his  followers  increased, 
so  did  the  opposition  in  bitterness  and  intensity. 

At  length  he  was  obliged  to  flee  from  his  native  city  and  take 
refuge  in  Medina,  a  city  of  north-western  Arabia. 

Space  will  not  permit  a  recital  of  the  numerous  intrigues  of 
his  enemies,  or  his  various  successes.  Suffice  it  to  say  that, 
in  a  few  years  he  became  the  leader  of  a  powerful,  constantly- 
increasing  and  enthusiastic  people. 

The  time  had  at  length  arrived  when  the  wild,  wandering 
and  discordant  tribes  of  Arabia  were  to  be  marshalled  under 
one  banner,  united  in  one  creed  and  animated  by  one  cause ; 
when  a  mighty  genius  had  arisen,  who  should  bring  together 
those  scattered  remnants,  inspire  them  with  his  own  religious 
zeal  and  daring  spirit,  and  send  them  forth  an  invincible  host, 
to  shake  and  overturn  the  empires  of  the  earth. 

Mahomet  survived  the  most  of  his  children,  and  died  in  the 
sixty-third  year  of  his  age. 

In  his  last  illness,  he  gave  his  followers  three  parting  com- 
mands: uExpel  all  idolaters  from  Arabia ;  allow  every  believer 
equal  privileges  with  yourselves ;  devote  yourselves  to  prayer 
and  the  propagation  of  the  faith." 


26  THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

When  the*  hour  of  death  approached  he  feared  it  not,  but, 
gazing  upwards  with  unmoving  eyelids,  he  exclaimed,  '10, 
Allah!  be  it  so,  forever  with  the  glorious  associates  in 
paradise." 

Thus  passed  away  the  man  who  gave  embodiment  to  a 
faith  that  is  still  adhered  to  by  more  than  130,000,000  of  the 
human  family;  and  who  founded  an  empire  that  was  the  most 
extensive  the  world  has  ever  seen. 

In  appearance,  he  was  of  the  middle  stature.  His  head  was 
capacious,  and  well  set  on  a  neck  that  rose  like  a  pillar  from 
his  ample  chest.  He  had  an  oval  face,  dark  eyes,  long,  wavy 
hair  and  a  full  beard.  His  deportment  was  calm  and  dignified, 
and  he  is  said  to  have  possessed  a  smile  of  captivating  sweet- 
ness. His  complexion  was  fairer  than  Arabs  usually  are,  and 
in  his  enthusiastic  moments  there  was  a  glow  and  radiance  to 
his  countenance.  He  was  extremely  cleanly  in  his  person, 
abstemious  in  his  diet,  and  simple  and  unaffected  in  his  dress 
and  manners.  He  seemed  to  have  an  intuitive  knowledge  of 
human  nature,  and  an  innate  power  to  counsel,  command, 
reprove  and  inspire  his  followers  with  his  own  ardent  nature. 
Take  him  all  in  all,  the  race  has  seldom  seen  a  teacher  more 
kind,  more  noble  or  more  sincere. 


CHAPTER    III. 


THE     SARACENIC     CONQUEST: 


CAUSES  OF  TRIUMPHS— ABOU-BEKER  ELECTED  CALIPH— WAR 
DECLARED— FALL  OF  BOZRAH — BATTLE  OF  AIZNADIN  — 
SIEGE  OF  JERUSALEM— DEPARTURE  OF  ROMAN  EMPEROR 
— SARACEN  FLEET— EASTERN  CONQUESTS — FALL  OF  ALEX- 
ANDRIA—CONQUEST OF  NORTHERN  AFRICA— CONQUEST 
OF  SPAIN — BATTLE  OF  POICTIERS — EXTENT  OF  SARACEN 
EMPIRE. 

AFTER  the  death  of  Mahomet,  his  followers  assumed  the 
name  of  Saracens,  by  which  title  they  were  afterwards 
generally  known.  This  term,  it  is  said,  is  derived  from  two 
Arabic  words  which  signify  eastern,  or  oriental,  and  con- 
querors. 

Scarcely  was  Mahomet  buried,  when  it  was  found  necessary 
to  form  a  civil  and  political  constitution  and  code  of  laws,  by 
which  his  followers  were  to  be  governed.  This  government  was 
called  the  Caliphate. 

Mahometanism,  even  during  the  life  of  its  founder,  gave 
unmistakable  indications  of  overpassing  the  bounds  of  Arabia. 

A  few  years  later  it  entered  upon  a  system  of  conquest 
unparalleled  in  the  history  of  the  world. 

One  cause  of  this  phenomenon  is  to  be  found  in  the  moral 
and  social  condition  of  the  world.  The  influence  of  religion 
had  long  before  ceased.  Christianity  was  completely  paganized. 
Her  popes  were  busy  denouncing  and  excommunicating  each 
other,  in  their  rivalry  for  earthly  power;  or  bribing  royal 
females  and  courtesans  to  influence  the  decision  of  councils, 
that  were  supposed  by  the  masses  to  speak  with  the  voice  of 
God.  Her  bishops  no  longer  sought  to  feed  their  flocks  with 
the  bread  of  life.  On  the  other  hand  they  were  concerned  in 
assassinations,  poisonings,  adulteries,  roits,  treason  and  civil 


28  THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

war.  The  religious  teachers  of  those  days  never  raised  their 
voices  in  the  sacred  cause  of  liberty,  or  spoke  in  defense  of  the 
outraged  rights  of  man. 

No  wonder  then  that,  in  the  midst  of  the  wrangling  of  sects, 
and  unintelligible  jargon  of  Arians,  Augustinians,  Nestorians 
and  Marianites,  society  stood  in  breathless  awe,  when  it  heard 
the  terrible  Arabian  battle  cry,  "There  is  but  one  God,  and 
Mahomet  is  His  prophet!  "  enforced  as  it  was  by  the  tempest 
of  Saracen  armies.  These  warriors,  armed  with  lances  and 
cimeters,  and  mounted  on  fleet  Arabian  steeds,  passed  swiftly 
from  city  to  city,  and  frequently  found  the  masses  of  the  people 
so  crushed  by  tyranny,  so  worn  out  by  wrangling  and  civil 
wars,  that  they  welcomed  the  Saracens  as  deliverers. 

Mahomet's  life  had  been  almost  entirely  occupied  in  the 
conquest  or  conversion  of  his  native  country.  It  is  true,  in 
the  latter  part  of  his  career  he  felt  himself  strong  enough  to 
threaten  Persia  for  the  aid  she  had  given  his  enemies ;  and  he 
even  declared  war  against  the  Roman  Empire  for  the  same 
reason.  But  failing  health  frustrated  his  designs.  He  had 
made  no  provision  for  the  perpetuation  of  his  own  power. 
Hence,  a  struggle  ensued  before  a  successor  was  appointed. 
At  length,  Abou  Beker,  the  father  of  his  wife  Ayesha,  was 
selected.  He  was  proclaimed  the  first  Caliph,  and  immediately 
attacked  both  the  Romans  and  the  Persians. 

The  reknowned  general,  Khaled,  commonly  called  by  Saracen 
historians,  "the  sword  of  God,"  was  despatched  into  Syria. 
His  name  struck  terror  into  the  hearts  of  the  inhabitants. 
The  fortified  town  of  Bozrah  fell  into  his  hands  without  a 
struggle.  This  was  the  same  town  where  fifty  years  previous 
the  youthful  Mahomet  had  been  entertained  at  the  Nestorian 
convent.  Marching  northward  seventy  miles,  to  Damascus, 
Khaled  laid  siege  to  the  Syrian  capital.  A  decisive  battle  took 
place  on  the  plain  of  Aiznadin.  The  Roman  army  was  over- 
thrown and  dispersed.  A  few  days  later  Damascus  surrendered 
to  the  Saracens. 

Guarded  on  the  right  by  the  beautiful  river  Orontes,  and  on 
the  left  by  the  snow-clad  peaks  of  Lebanon,  they  still  continued 
their  march  northward.  To  resist  their  further  progress,  the 
Roman  emperor,  Heraclius,  collected  an  army  of  one  hundred 


SURRENDER  OP  JERUSALEM.  29 

and  forty  thousand  men.  A  great  battle  took  place  on  the 
plains  of  Yermuck.  At  the  first  onset  the  Saracens  were 
repulsed ;  but  driven  back  to  the  field  by  the  heroism  of  their 
women,  who  also  aided  them,  they  ended  the  conflict  by  the 
complete  overthrow  of  the  lioman  army. 

The  whole  of  Syria  now  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Saracens. 

They  then  turned  south  and  laid  siege  to  the  city  jrf  Jerusa- 
lem. After  a  defense  of  four  months  the  patriarch,  Sophronius, 
appeared  on  the  wall  and  asked  the  terms  of  capitulation.  It 
was  stipulated  that  the  surrender  should  take  place  in  the  pre- 


DAMASCUS. 

sence  of  the  Caliph  himself.  Accordingly,  he  came  all  the  way 
from  Medina  for  that  purpose.  At  that  time  such  were  the 
customs  among  the  Saracens,  that  it  is  said  the  ambassador 
found  the  Caliph  Omar  asleep  under  the  shadow  of  a  mosque. 
It  is  also  said  that  he  journeyed  alone  on  a  red  camel,  carrying 
with  him  a  bag  of  dates  for  his  own  food  and  one  of  corn  for 
his  camel,  a  wooden  dish  and  a  leathern  water  bottle. 

After  receiving  the  surrender  of  the  city,  Omar  returned  to 
Medina  as  quietly  as  he  had  come. 

Thus  fell  the  Roman  power  in  Syria  and  Palestine,  after 
having  ruled  those  countries  nearly  eight  hundred  years.  Thus 


30  THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

was  transferred  without  tumult  or  outrage  the  religious  capital 
of  the  professedly  Christian  world  into  the  hands  of  the  Caliph 
Omar.  Thus,  Jerusalem,  so  long  considered  the  birthplace  of 
Christianity,  the  scene  of  its  most  sacred  and  tragic  memories, 
passed  into  the  hands  of  the  Mahometans.  Considerably  more 
than  a  thousand  years  have  elapsed  since  then,  and  it  is  still 
under  their  dominion.  The  mosque  of  Omar  now  rears  its 
lofty  minarets  where  once  stood  the  temple  of  Solomon. 

Heraclius,  the  Roman  emperor,  struggled  valiantly  to  retain 
his  possessions.  He  plainly  saw  that  the  corruptions  of  Chris- 
tianity were  among  the  causes  of  Saracenic  triumphs.  He 
made  a  heroic  attempt  to  rouse  the  clergy  to  their  duties,  but 
it  was  then  too  late.  Heraclius  himself  was  obliged  to  seek 
safety  in  flight.  From  the  deck  of  the  little  vessel  that  bore 
him  homeward,  he  gazed  intently  on  the  receding  hills,  and  in 
bitterness  of  anguish  exclaimed,  "Farewell,  Syria,  forever 
farewell!  " 

The  remaining  details  of  the  Saracen  conquest  we  need  not 
here  relate.  The  naming  of  their  victories  is  sufficient  to  indi- 
cate the  greatness  of  their  triumphs. 

The  great  cities  of  Tyre  and  Cassarea  were  captured.  With 
the  cedars  of  Lebanon  and  sailors  of  Tyre  they  equipped  a 
fleet  that  drove  the  Roman  navy  into  the  Hellespont.  Thus 
they  gained  undisturbed  control  of  the  Mediterranean,  and 
conquered  or  colonized  the  islands  of  Cyprus,  Candia,  Rhodes, 
Sicily,  Sardinia,  Corsica  and  many  others.  A 'Saracen  naval 
expedition  even  appeared  before  the  walls  of  Rome,  and  after 
threatening  the  imperial  city,  carried  away  the  altar  of  silver 
from  St.  Peter's  church,  and  gathered  other  relics  from  the 
tombs  of  St.  Peter  and  St.  Paul. 

One  of  the  Saracen  armies  turned  eastward,  and  on  the  battle- 
field of  Cadesia  the  fate  of  Persia  was  decided.  After  the 
battle  of  Neha-vend  the  treasury  and  royal  arms  of  Persia  fell 
into  the  hands  of  the  Saracens. 

After  this  battle  the  eastern  army  divided  into  two  divisions. 
One  marched  northward  to  the  Caspian  Sea  and  took  posses- 
sion of  the  neighboring  countries ;  another,  southward  to  Per- 
sepolis,  from  whence  the  king  of  Persia  fled  for  his  life  across 
the  dreary  deserts  of  Khorassan.  The  name  of  Saracen  terri- 


PALL  OP  ALEXANDRIA.  31 

fied  the  wild  tribes  of  independent  Tartary,  and  they  hastened 
to  pay  tribute  and  accept  the  faith  of  their  conquerors. 

The  emperor  of  China,  in  his  palace  at  Peking,  heard  ot 
their  exploits,  and  sent  ambassadors  to  them,  craving  their 
friendship.  The  kingdoms  now  included  in  Afghanistan  and 
Beloochistan  surrendered  at  their  approach,  and  the 
Mahometan  standard  of  the  crescent  waved  on  the  .banks  of 
the  Indus. 

Meanwhile  important  events  were  transpiring  in  the  west. 
A  large  proportion  of  the  Egyptian  people  welcomed  the  Sara- 
cens. The  Arabs  of  the  desert  loitered  in  the  palaces  of  the 
ancient  Pharaohs.  Alexandria,  aided  by  Roman  troops,  alone 
held  out.  After  a  siege  of  fourteen  months  it  also  fell,  and 
with  it  Egypt  and  Abyssinia  were  added  to  the  dominions  of 
the  Caliphs. 

The  most  powerful  religious  empire  that  the  world  has  ever 
seen  had  suddenly  sprung  into  existence.  It  stretched  from 
the  Great  Wall  of  China  to  the  burning  sands  of  Tripoli,  and 
from  the  Caspian  Sea  on  the  north  to  Abyssinia  on  the  south. 
Yet  this  was  but  little  more  than  half  the  territory  that  it 
soon  afterwards  controlled.  One  of  its  armies  advanced  on 
Constantinople.  It  did  not  fall  then,  but  afterwards  became 
the  capital  of  the  Mahometan  power  in  Europe.  Another 
took  possession  of  the  whole  north  of  Africa,  and,  having 
consolidated  its  power  there,  under  the  eominand  of  their 
general,  Tarik,  they  crossed  the  straits  that  separate  Africa 
from  Spain,  and  landing  on  the  rocky  clift  of  Gib-el-Tarik,  or 
mountain  of  Tarik  (now  called  Gibraltar),  unfurled  their  green 
banner  with  golden  crescent  for  the  first  time  on  the  soil  of 
Europe. 

Tarik  was  soon  followed  into  Spain  by  his  superior  officer, 
the  ernir  Musa.  They  took  possession  of  the  whole  southern 
portion  of  Spain  and  Portugal,  which  in  their  own  picturesque 
language,  they  named  Andalusia,  or  the  region  of  the 
evening. 

It  was  soon  found  that  the  whole  peninsula  was  ripe  for 
revolution.  The  Jews  comprised  a  large  proportion  of  the 
Spanish  people.  They  were,  to  a  great  extent,  the  cultivators 
of  the  soil,  which  pursuit  well  repaid  their  labors.  They  were 


32  THE  HAND   OP  PROVIDENCE. 

then,  as  now,  famous  as  merchants  and  money-lenders,  and 
many  of  them  held  high  positions  in  the  government,  while 
thousands  of  them  were  scattered  in  every  city,  town  and  vil- 
lage, as  the  physicians  and  teachers  of  the  people. 

Their  wrongs  had  been  accumulating  for  centuries.  Bigotry, 
envy  and  avarice  had  conspired  to  point  them  out  as  objects  of 
persecution.  Laws  were  passed  which  were  never  intended  to 
be  executed.  It  was  expected  that  they  would  purchase  a 
remission  of  the  penalties  by  pouring  their  hard-earned  treas- 
ures into  the  lap  of  Rome.  No  doubt  the  Jews  exulted  as  the 
tide  of  Saracen  conquest  swept  onward.  They  did  not  deplore 
a  change  of  masters  for  those  who  would  leave  them  in  posses- 
sion of  civil  and  religious  liberty. 

Before  long  the  whole  Iberian  pieninsula  fell  into  the  hands 
of  the  Mahometans.  Not  content  with  this,  they  crossed  the 
Pyrenees,  and  took  possession  of  that  portion  of  France  that 
lies  to  the  south  of  the  river  Loire.  All  Central  France  was 
overrun.  Castles,  churches  and  monasteries  were  despoiled. 
For  a  time  they  held  undisturbed  dominion.  The  empire  of 
the  Saracens  was  then  at  its  greatest  extent.  It  reached  from 
the  confines  of  China  to  the  Atlantic  ocean,  and  comprised 
within  its  limits  forty  degrees  of  latitude  and  nearly  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  of  longitude.  In  Western  Europe  alone  it 
stretched  in  an  unbroken  line  more  than  a  thousand  miles 
northward  from  the  cliffs  of  Gibraltar.  More  than  thirty-six 
thousand  cities  paid  tribute  to  the  successors  of  Mahomet  in 
the  city  of  Medina. 

In  attempting  to  extend  their  conquests  northward  the 
Saracens  were  met  by  an  army  under  Charles  Martel,  king  of 
France,  A.  D.  732.  Between  Tours  and  Poictiers  a  terrible 
battle  was  fought,  which  lasted  seven  days.  The  Franks  and 
Goths  lost  so  many  that  it  was  impossible  to  tell  the  number 
of  the  slain.  But  these  losses  were  more  than  counterbalanced 
by  the  losses  of  the  Saracens  whose  great  general,  Abderahman, 
was  found  among  the  slain.  Their  previous  successes  had  filled 
them  with  pride.  They  looked  with  contempt  upon  their 
enemies.  For  example,  when  the  Roman  emperor,  Nicephor- 
ous,  had  sent  a  threatening  letter  to  the  Caliph  Haroun-al- 
Haschid,  the  latter  replied,  "In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful 


EXTENT  OF  SARACEN   EMPIRE.  33 

God,  Haroun-al-Raschid,  commander  of  the  faithful,  to  Nice- 
phorous,  the  Roman  dog !  I  have  read  thy  letter,  0  thou  son 
of  an  unbelieving  mother !  Thou  shalt  not  hear  my  words; 
thou  shalt  behold  my  reply !  "  A  few  weeks  later  it  was  writ- 
ten in  letters  of  blood  on  the  plains  of  Phrygia. 

Although  the  Saracen  empire  had  reached  the  zenith  of  its 
power,  in  one  sense  Mahometanism  had  not  reached  if  s  cul- 
mination. The  day  was  to  come,  when  under  the  name  of 
Ottoman  Turks,  it  would  expel  the  descendants  of  the  Caesars 
from  their  capital,  hold  the  classic  land  of  Greece  in  subjection, 
and  under  the  very  walls  of  Vienna  dispute  the  empire  of 
Europe  in  the  center  of  that  continent ;  and  in  Africa  extend 
its  dogmas  and  faith  across  burning  deserts  and  pestilential 
forests  far  south  of  the  equinoctial  line. 

It  is  a  mistaken  idea  that  the  progress  of  the  Saracens 
depended  on  the  sword  alone.  The  causes  of  their  success 
were  many  and  various.  One  of  these,  the  paganization  of 
Christianity,  has  already  been  noticed.  The  long  and  desolat- 
ing wars  of  the  Romans  had  thrown  the  whole  oriental  and 
African  trade  into  the  hands  of  the  Arabs.  Hence  a  commer- 
cial interest  and  sympathy  had  grown  up  between  these  peoples. 
Another  reason  was  the  mildness  of  the  Saracen  government 
in  comparison  with  that  of  the  Romans.  The  only  taxation  was  a 
single  annual  tribute,  amounting  to  less  than  one-half  the 
various  taxes  by  the  Romans.  Another  feature  was  complete 
religious  toleration  except  to  idolaters.  The  only  creed  required 
was  simply,  "There  is  but  one  God,  and  Mahomet  is  His  pro- 
phet." Still,  another  cause  of  Saracen  success  was  the  effec- 
tive plan  adopted  for  the  consolidation  of  their  power.  In 
battle  they  were  simply  terrible,  and  the  destruction  of  human 
life  was  in  some  instances  without  a  parallel;  yet  the  widows 
and  children  of  their  fallen  foes  were  universally  treated  with 
kindness.  As  a  consequence,  the  children  became  ardent 
disciples  of  Mahometanism,  and  the  widows  often  married 
their  former  conquerors.  This  was  all  the  more  frequent  as 
polygamy  was  an  established  custom.  The  children  of 
these  unions  gloried  in  their  descent  from  their  conquering 
fathers. 


34  THE   HANDJ3F  PROVIDENCE. 

No  wonder  then,  that  in  a  little  more  than  a  single  genera- 
tion Abderahtnan  wrote  to  the  Caliph  that  in  North  Africa  and 
Andalusia  all  tribute  must  cease,  as  all  the  children  born  in 
those  regions  were  Mahometans,  and  Arabic  had  become  the 
language  of  the  country. 

But  above  all  these  causes,  the  careful  student  of  history  will 
perceive  the  hand  of  Providence.  Though  Christianity  was 
paganized,  and  the  priesthood  and  divine  authority  were  taken 
from  the  earth,  God  had  put  forth  His  hand,  and  through 
agencies  the  most  diverse  was  disciplining  the  minds  of  men 
for  the  reception  of  truth,  and  preparing  a  place  and  a  people 
for  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  Man. 


CHAPTER    IV. 


ACHIEVEMENTS  OF     THE    SARACENS. 


INTELLECTUAL    STAGNATION — SARACENS    AND    JEWS  REVIVE 

LEARNING — UNWERSITY  OF  BAGDAD — PUBLIC  SCHOOLS — 
MEDICAL  COLLEGE  OF  CAIRO— CIRCULATING  LIBRARY- 
MODERN  FORM  OF  BOOKS — ARABIC  NOTATION — DIS- 
COVERIES IN  CHEMISTRY — ROTUNDITY  OF  THE  EARTH — 
MARINER'S  COMPASS — DISCOVERIES  OF  ALHAZIN — ASTRO- 
NOMICAL OBSERVATORIES — GOLDEN  AGE  OF  JUDAISM — 
CITIES  OF  ANDALUSIA — SARACEN  DWELLINGS — CONDI- 
TION OF  WOMEN— FEMALE  PHYSICIANS. 

THE  civilized  world  is  dotted  over  with  theological  semi- 
naries, the  teachers  in  which  are  considered  to  be  men 
well  educated  in  the  learning  of  ancient  and  modern  times. 
The  avowed  purpose  of  these  institutions  is  to  teach  the  facts, 
philosophy  and  history  of  the  so-called  Christian  religion,  yet 
not  a  teacher  in  these  institutions  can  be  found  who  dares 
to  assert  the  stupendous  fact  that  from  the  time  of  the  apostles 
to  the  ninth  century  science,  literature  and  philosophy  were 
well  nigh  extinct.  During  all  this  time,  with  the  exception 


INTELLECTUAL  STAGNATION.  35 

of  Jewish  and  Saracen  writers,  scarcely  a  work  can  be  found 
of  sufficient  merit  to  rescue  the  name  of  the  author  from 
oblivion.  Let  the  skeptic  answer  this*  question  :  Why  was 
it  that  when  the  voice  of  inspiration  was  hushed  and  the 
gospel  and  its  ordinances  taken  from  the  earth,  there  fell  upon 
it  an  intellectual  stagnation,  an  invisible  atmosphere  of 
oppression,  ready  to  crush  down  morally  and  physically  what- 
ever provoked  its  weight?  Thus  the  dreary  and  weary 
centuries  rolled  on,  until  a  nation,  hitherto  considered  bar- 
barous, yet  of  the  seed  of  Abraham,  and  heirs  of  the  promises 
made  to  Ishmael  and  Esau,  aroused  society  from  the  hideous 
fanaticism,  ignorance  and  superstition  into  which  apostasy  had 
plunged  it. 

If  it  be  true  that  the  Saracens  burned  the  Alexandrian 
library,  it  must  be  considered  that  this  was  the  act  of  an 
uneducated  general  and  the  vengeance  of  the  soldiery  after  a 
terrible  siege,  rather  than  the  deliberate  policy  of  the  govern- 
ment. Within  twenty-five  years  from  the  death  of  Mahomet 
the  Caliphs  had  become  famous  for  their  patronage  of  learn- 
ing. AH,  the  fourth  Caliph  and  son-in-law  of  Mahomet,  used 
to  say,  "The  world  is  sustained  by  four  things  only:  the 
prayers  of  the  good,  the  learning  of  the  wise,  the  justice  of 
the  great,  and  the  valor  of  the  brave. ' '  This  sentiment  was 
echoed  and  re-echoed  until  it  became  an  honored  maxim  in  the 
minds  of  millions. 

Under  the  influence  of  Jewish,  Nestorian  and  Saracen 
teachers  the  manners  of  the  Saracens  became  more  polished 
and  their  thoughts  more  elevated.  They  made  conquests  in 
the  realms  of  science,  literature  and  the  arts  as  quickly  as  in 
thb  provinces  of  the  Roman  empire. 

For  example,  Almansor,  who  reigned  as  Caliph  from  A.  D. 
753  to  775,  established  the  University  of  Bagdad,  and  endowed 
it  with  two  hundred  thousand  pieces  of  gold,  and  an  annual 
revenue  of  fifteen  thousand  dinars,  equal  in  commercial  value 
to  one  hundred  and  twenty  thousand  dollars  of  our  money. 
He  invited  thither  learned  men  from  every  land,  irrespective 
of  their  religious  opinions.  By  these  men  were  founded 
celebrated  schools  of  mathematics,  astronomy,  chemistry, 
medicine,  law  and  languages. 


36  THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

His  grand-son,  Haroun-al-Raschid,  ordered  in  A*  D.  786, 
that  a  public  school  should  be  attached  to  every  mosque  in 
his  dominions.  This  was  more  than  seven  hundred  years 
before  the  establishment  of  the  famous  parish  schools  of 
Scotland. 

The  Caliph-al-Mamun,  in  A.  D.  813,  founded  the  great 
medical  college  'of  Cairo,  which  required  students  to  pass  a 
rigid  examination  before  receiving  authority  to  enter  on  the 
practice  of  their  profession.  At  this  college  we  have  the 
first  account  of  dissecting  human  bodies  for  the  purpose  of 
ascertaining  the  nature  and  locality  of  diseases,  and  the  first 
circulating  library  for  students.  These  books  were  bound 
according  to  the  modern  form,  which  then  began  to  be  used 
among  the  Saracens  in  place  of  the  ancient  form  of  the  scroll. 

By  the  means  just  mentioned,  the  ancient  sciences  were 
greatly  extended  and  new  ones  introduced.  To  the  Saracens 
we  are  indebted  for  our  present  system  of  arithmetical  nota- 
tion. If,  for  example,  we  wish  to  multiply  1882  by  125  and 
then  attempt  it  by  the  ancient  method  MDCCCLXXXII.  ,  multi- 
plied by  cxxv. ,  we  shall  soon  perceive  the  vast  superiority  of 
the  Arabic  system  over  that  formerly  in  use.  No  wonder, 
then  that  under  the  ancient  system  those  who  were  engaged 
in  solving  difficult  mathematical  problems  were  frequently 
styled  '  Sweating  calculators. ' ' 

In  this  case  as  in  many  others  the  Arab  has  left  his  impress 
on  this  science.  For  instance,  our  word  cipher,  and  kindred 
words,  such  as  decipher,  ciphering,  etc.,  are  derived  from 
the  word  tsaphara,  or  ciplira^  the  name  for  the  0  in  the  Arabic 
language. 

In  experimental  sciences,  they  originated  chemistry  and 
discovered  the  nature  and  properties  of  sulphuric  acid,  nitric 
acid,  alcohol  and  many  other  chemical  agents.  From  their 
schools  of  medicine  may  be  traced  such  words  as  julep,  syrup, 
elixir,  alchemy,  etc.  To  them  we  are  indebted  for  algebra,  or 
universal  arithmetic,  and  in  astronomy  they  made  such  advances 
that  many  constellations  and  stars  of  the  first  magnitude 
still  retain  the  Arabic  names. 

In  geography,  the  Saracens  made  important  discoveries. 
Hitherto  mankind  had  been  taught  that  the  earth  was  a  vast 


THE  MARINER'S  COMPASS.  37 

plain,  surmounted  by  an  immense  vault  commonly  called  the 
sky.  They  were  the  first  to  prove  that  the  earth  is  a  vast 
globe,  or  ball;  and  in  order  to  determine  its  size,  they  first 
ascertained  on  the  level  shore  of  the  lied  sea  the  exact  posi- 
tion of  the  North  Star.  Then  traveling  directly  north  until 
it  had  attained  another  degree  of  elevation,  they  measured 
the  distance  between  these  points,  and  multiplying  the  result 
by  three  hundred  and  sixty  (the  number  of  degrees  in  a  circle), 
they  found  the  earth  to  be  nearly  twenty-five  thousand  miles 
in  circumference.  So  accurate  were  their  observations  and 
measurements  that  the  best  calculators  of  recent  times  differ 
from  them  less  than  one-third  of  a  mile. 

Five  hundred  years  later  the  Horn  an  pontiffs  were  excom- 
municating and  torturing  those  who  taught  the  rotundity  of 
the  earth.  While  Catholic  monks  were  teaching,  in  all  its 
absurdity,  the  flatness  of  the  earth,  and  how  it  rested  on  avast 
rock,  and  that  rock  on  another  and  so  on  all  the  way  down  to 
the  bottom (?),  the  Saracens  were  teaching  geography  from 
globes  in  their  common  schools.  It  cost  a  long  struggle 
through  several  centuries,  "with  spiritual  wickedness  in  high 
places,"  before  the  truth  finally  triumphed. 

European  historians  have  generally  given  great  credit  to 
Pope  Gregory  for  the  invention  and  adoption  of  the  Gregorian 
calendar  and  a  more  accurate  method  of  measuring  the  exact 
length  of  the  civil  year.  Yet,  Gregory  only  adopted  what  had 
been  discovered  and  taught  by  Thebit-Ben-Corrah,  the  Sara- 
cen astronomer,  more  than  five  hundred  years  before,  and  what 
Gregory  himself  had  learned  in  youth  while  attending  a  Sara- 
cen university. 

The  mariner's  compass  was  well  known  to  the  Arabs,  who 
probably  brought  it  from  China  and  introduced  it  to  the  nations 
of  Europe.  From  this  we  may  correctly  infer  that  they  were 
a  maritime  people.  In  fact,  long  before  the  time  of  Mahomet, 
Arabian  merchants  were  acquainted  with  the  Indies,  and  even 
China  and  the  eastern  coast  of  Africa  as  far  south  as  Mada- 
gascar. 

Alhazin,  who  wrote  about  A.  D.  1080,  made  the  great 
discovery  of  atmospheric  refraction — that  a  ray  of  light  when 
it  touches  the  atmosphere  is  bent  from  a  straight  line ;  and 


38  THE   HAND    OF  PROVIDENCE. 

consequently  we  see  the  sun  before  it  rises  and  after  it  sets,  in 
the  same  manner  that  an  object  lying  at  the  bottom  of  a 
bucket  filled  with  water  appears  in  quite  a  different  position 
from  that  in  which  it  really  is.  He  was  the  first  to  give  that 
beautiful  and  scientific  explanation  of  twilight,  viz.,  the 
refraction  of  light,  which  is  still  regarded  by  modern  scientists 
as  the  true  one.  He  even  attempted  to  ascertain  the  height 
of  the  atmosphere,  which  he  estimated  to  be  about  fifty- 
eight  and  a  half  miles.  This  philosopher  also  wrote  a  treatise 
on  weights  and  measures,  and  introduced  that  excellent  system 
of  weighing  by  means  of  a  small,  movable  weight  attached  to 
the  longer  arm  of  a  lever,  as  in  our  modern  scales  or  steel- 
yards-. The  Arabian  astronomer,  Ebn-Junis,  was  the  first  who 
made  use  of  the  pendulum  in  the  machinery  of  clocks  for  the 
accurate  measurement  of  the  hours. 

In  the  golden  age  of  the  Saracen  empire,  there  were  col- 
leges in  every  part  of  its  vast  dominions.  So  numerous  were 
these  institutions,  that  more  than  six  thousand  students 
received  instructions  in  them  annually.  In  the  far  east  were 
the  college  and  astronomical  observatory  of  Samercand ;  while 
in  the  western  province  of  Andalusia  were  the  famous  school 
and  observatory  of  Griralda. 

The  first  medical  college  established  in  Europe  was  that 
founded  by  the  Saracens  at  Salerno,  in  Italy ;  the  first  famous 
school  of  mathematics  and  astronomy  was  that  established  by 
them  at  Seville,  in  Spain. 

Among  them,  learning  was  not  confined  to  the  rich,  but 
every  class  received  its  benefits.  The  teachers  of  their  col- 
leges were  paid  liberal  salaries  for  their  services,  and  an 
allowance  was  made  for  indigent  scholars,  so  that  the  son  of 
the  mechanic  could  graduate  from  the  same  class  as  the  heirs 
of  the  Caliphs. 

At  first  glance  it  seems  remarkable  that  the  wild  ferocity  of 
the  Arabs  should  so  suddenly  change  into  a  passion  for 
intellectual  pursuits;  yet  it  should  not  be  forgotten  that  this 
ferocity  was  to  a  great  extent  caused  by  religious  enthusiasm. 
Thus,  when  the  General  Akbah  had  conquered  his  way  from 
Egypt  to  the  Atlantic  ocean,  opposite  the  Canary  Islands,  he 
rode  his  horse  into  the  sea  and  drew  his  sword,  exclaiming, 


GOLDEN   AGE   OF  JUDAISM.  39 

"Great  AJlah!  if  my  course  were  not  stopped  by  this  sea,  I 
would  still  go  on  to  the  unknown  regions  of  the  West,  preach- 
ing the  unity  of  thy  holy  name,  and  putting  to  the  sword 
the  rebellious  nations  who  worship  any  other  gods  than  thee." 

Again,  when  we  consider  that  a  large  majority  of  their 
teachers  and  philosophers  were  of  the  Jewish  nation,  we  see 
a  beautiful  Providence  in  all  this.  The  remnants  of  God's 
chosen  people,  though  exiles  and  wanderers,  despised  and 
down-trodden  by  the  Gentiles,  were  yet  the  instruments  in 
God's  hands  for  the  execution  of  His  purposes  and  the  ele- 
vation of  the  race. 

Surely  there  is  a  broader,  higher,  grander  meaning  in  the 
promise  given  to  Abraham,  "In  thy  seed  shall  all  the  nations 
of  the  earth  be  blessed,"  than  many  are  willing  to  admit!  And 
this  is  all  the  more  remarkable,  that,  at  the  very  time  when 
mankind  so  much  needed  instruction,  should  occur  what  Mil- 
man  so  aptly  terms,  "The  golden  age  of  Judaism."  Not  an 
age  of  royal  pomp  and  political  power — that  passed  away  with 
David  and  Solomon — but  an  age  of  intellectual  culture,  scien- 
tific research  and  practical  discovery. 

Strange  it  would  appear  to  the  casual  student,  if  upon 
further  research  he  should  find  that  all  great  religious  teachers 
have  been  of  Israelitish  origin,  as  well  as  a  large  proportion 
of  those  who  have  achieved  distinction  in  .the  arts  and 
sciences.  But  it  was  in  Spain,  southern  France  and  Sicily 
that  the  Saracens  attained  their  greatest  power  and  influence ; 
for  there  they  came  in  contact  with  the  nations  of  western 
Europe,  and  so  influenced  European  manners,  customs  and 
modes  of  thought  that  through  them  that  influence  has  been 
transmitted  to  our  times. 

To  the  ingenuity  of  the  Saracens  we  are  indebted  for  the 
origin  of  many  articles  of  clothing  and  personal  comfort. 
Their  religion  taught  them  to  be  clean  in  person.  They  did 
not  therefore  clothe  themselves,  according  to  prevailing  customs 
in  that  age,  in  an  under-garment  made  from  the  skins  of  wild 
beasts — a  garment  which  remained  unwashed  and  unchanged 
until  it  dropped  to  pieces  of  itself,  a  loathsome  mass  of  vermin, 
stench  and  rags.  They  taught  us  the  use  of  that  often- 
changed  and  often-washed  garment  commonly  called  a  shirt, 


40  THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

which  still  is  known  among  the  ladies  under  its  old  Arabic 
name,  chemise. 

To  them  we  are  indebted  for  some  of  our  most  valuable 
fruits,  such  as  the  apricot  and  peach. 

Remembering  the  cooling  effects  of  water  in  their  own 
hot  climate,  they  spared  no  pains  in  constructing  artificial 
lakes  and  fountains  and  streams  for  the  irrigation  of  their 
gardens. 

Andalusia  became  the  paradise  of  the  world.  The  capital 
was  Cordova,  which  they  greatly  embellished  as  well  as  the 
rival  cities  Toledo,  Seville  and  Granada.  A  person  might 
walk  for  miles  through  their  cities  after  night- fall  by  the  light 
of  their  public  lamps.  Seven  hundred  years  afterwards,  not  a 
single  public  lamp  could  be  found  in  the  city  of  London.  The 
streets  of  these  cities  were  solidly  paved,  through  which  rolled 
magnificent  carriages,  drawn  by  horses,  the  fame  of  which 
has  descended  to  our  times.  Five  hundred  years  later  the 
sovereigns  of  Great  Britain  and  Germany  were  still  traveling 
in  uncouth  wagons,  drawn  by  oxen,  goaded  on  by  pedestrian 
drivers. 

The  sidewalks  of  Cordova,  Toledo,  Seville  and  Granada  were 
paved  with  flagstones;  while  at  a  corresponding  period  the 
inhabitant  of  London  or  Paris  who  ventured  beyond  his 
threshold  on  a  rainy  day  sank  ankle-deep  in  filth  and  mud. 
Their  residences  were  frequently  in  the  midst  of  orchards  or 
embosomed  in  shady  groves.  They  had  cool  and  spacious 
porches  for  rest  in  the  heat  of  the  day.  Often  these  porches 
had  roofs  of  stained  glass,  on  which  fell  in  soothing  cadences  the 
glittering  pearl-drops  of  water  from  elevated  fountains. 

Their  houses  were  usually  built  of  brick  or  stone,  and  con- 
tained many  apartments,  such  as  sleeping  rooms,  baths, 
libraries,  parlors  and  dining  halls.  In  the  best  class  of 
dwellings,  the  ceilings  were  frescoed  and  the  walls  covered 
with  paintings,  representing  scenes  of  paradise,  groves  and 
fruits,  lawns  and  fountains.  Yet,  delineations  of  the  human 
form,  either  nude  or  partly  so,  were  religiously  forbidden,  as 
it  was  considered  that  such  representations  were  promotive  of 
licentiousness. 


SARACEN  DWELLINGS.  41 

Some  of  these  apartments  were  furnished  with  musical 
instruments,  where  the  young  of  both  sexes  were  wont  to 
join  in  mirth  and  festivity,  and  dancing  to  the  music  of  the 


INTERIOR  OF  A  SARACEN  PALACE. 

lute  and  mandolin.    In  others,  the  sedate  and  reflecting,  could 
engage  in  scientific  research  or  philosophical  discussion.     The 


42  THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

dwellings  of  the  rich  were  carpeted,  and  sometimes  warmed 
by  furnaces  in  winter  and  cooled  in  summer  with  perfumed 
air,  brought  by  under-ground  pipes  from  distant  flower 
gardens.  The  use  of  wine  was  prohibited.  The  feasts  of 
the  Saracens  were  marked  with  sobriety,  and  furnished  a 
pleasing  contrast  to  the  drunken  revelries  of  their  northern 
neighbors. 

The  enchanting  moonlight  evenings  of  Andalusia  were  fre- 
quently spent  by  the  devout  in  sequestered  gardens,  consoling 
themselves  for  the  disappointments  of  this  life  by  the  hope  of 
immortality,  and  reconciling  themselves  to  their  daily  toil  by 
the  expectation  of  the  joys  of  paradise,  where  flowers  never 
fade  nor  fruits  decay,  where  sickness,  and  sorrow,  and  death 
are  known  no  more. 

Under  Saracen  government,  religious  persecution  was 
unknown.  Students  from  Great  Britain,  Ireland,  France  and 
Germany  came  to  study  at  Saracen  universities.  There,  among 
distinguished  characters,  whose  names  and  influence  have 
descended  to  our  times,  was  Frederick,  afterwards  Frederick 
II.,  king  of  Italy;  Gerbert,  afterwards  famous  as  Pope  Syl- 
vester II. ;  Peter  the  Venerable,  Abelard,  the  poet,  and  Arnold 
of  Brescia. 

No  wonder  then  that  the  Saracens  looked  with  contempt 
upon  the  barbarism  of  the  native  races  of  Europe,  who  could 
scarcely  be  said  to  have  emerged  from  the  savage  state — 
unclean  in  person,  benighted  in  mind,  inhabiting  huts  in  which 
it  was  a  mark  of  wealth  if  there  were  bulrushes  on  the  floor 
and  straw  mats  against  the  wall ;  subsisting  on  barley,  beans, 
cabbages,  herbs  and  even  the  bark  of  trees ;  clothed  in  rudely- 
tanned  skins  of  wild  animals,  which  were  famous  indeed  for 
durability,  but  not  very  conducive  to  personal  cleanliness, 

But  the  arts,  sciences  and  general  culture  were  not  confined 
to  the  Saracen  men  alone.  Among  the  women  there  were 
many  who,  like  Valada,  Ayesha,  Labana  and  Algasania, 
achieved  a  national  reputation.  Some  of  these  were  daughters 
of  Caliphs,  who  considered  it  not  beneath  their  dignity  to 
devote  their  lives  to  science  and  the  elevation  of  their  sex. 
Where  shall  we  find  their  equals  at  that  time  in  so-called  Chris- 
tian countries?  Albucasis,  a  celebrated  physician  of  Cordova, 


FEMALE   PHYSICIANS.  43 

in  his  medical  works,  makes  mention  of  several  female  physi- 
cians, and  recommends  the  employment  of  such  in  certain  cases. 
No  doubt  the  condition  of  women  was  superior  and  their  duties 
and  position  better  understood  among  polygamous  Saracens 
than  in  monogamous  Christendom. 

The  foregoing  will  indicate  to  some  extent  the  condition  of 
Saracen  society  in  the  tenth  and  eleventh  centuries.  Shall  ^we 
compare  it  with  the  contemporary  barbarism  of  the  other  por- 
tions of  Europe  ? 

Were  we  to  pursue  this  subject  further  it  would  not  be  diffi- 
cult to  show  that  Venice  owed  her  commercial  greatness  to 
Saracen  fleets  and  Jewish  merchants ;  that  Marco  Polo  only 
traveled  over  countries  already  well  delineated  on  maps,  and 
well  described  by  Abulfeda  and  ofcher  Arabian  geographers ; 
that.  Columbus  himself  first  received  scientific  proof  of  the 
rotundity  of  the  earth  while  corresponding  with  Torricelli,  the 
great  Florentine  astronomer,  who  in  turn  had  received  his  edu- 
, cation  at  the  Saracen  university  of  Seville,  and  modelled  his 
globes,  maps  and  charts  from  those  in  its  possession. 

The  careful  student  of  history  must  deplore  the  attempts 
made  by  many  historians  to  ignore  our  indebtedness  to  the 
Saracens,  who  in  the  providence  of  God  have  left  their  impress 
on  the  religions,  arts  and  sciences  of  the  world.  Surely  preju- 
dice founded  on  national  conceit  and  sectarian  bigotry  cannot 
last  forever. 


44  THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE 


CHAPTER   Y. 


REMARKABLE    CITIES    OF   MEDIEVAL 
TIMES. 


JERUSALEM  THE  SACRED  CITY— ALEXANDRIA  NOTED  FOR 
PHILOSOPHY — SCHOOL  OF  HYPATIA — MOB  MURDERS  HER 
— DOCTRINES  OF  CYRIL — JERUSALEM  A  SCENE  OF  SUFFER- 
ING—FULFILLMENT OF  PROPHECY— HERCULANEUM  AND 
POMPEII— THEIR  DESTRUCTION— EVIDENCES  OF  THEIR 
WICKEDNESS — EXCAVATIONS — ROMAN  RULE — REMOVAL 
OF  CAPITAL— CRIMES  OF  CONSTANTINE — COMMENCEMENT 
OF  GREEK  EMPIRE — DESCRIPTION  OF  CONSTANTINOPLE 
— ITS  CAPTURE  BY  CRUSADERS — TAKEN  BY  THE  TURKS — 
INTELLECTUAL  DEGRADATION — PRIESTCRAFT — DEBAUCH- 
ERY— TURKISH  RULE. 

1AHE  four  great  cities  of  medieval  times  were  Jerusalem, 
Rome,  Alexandria  and  Constantinople.  The  first  named 
has  ever  been  the  sacred  city,  not  merely  of  the  Jews,  but  also 
of  devout  Christian  pilgrims  of  all  ages.  During  the  crusades  it 
was  the  great  object  for  the  possession  of  which  so  much  blood 
and  treasure  were  expended. 

Alexandria,  for  the  first  three  centuries  of  the  Christian  era, 
was  the  commercial  metropolis  of  the  world,  as  well  as  the 
chief  seat  of  pagan  learning  and  philosophy.  It  was  here 
that  Hypatia,  the  daughter  of  Theon,  the  mathematician, 
held  her  famous  school.  Each  day  before  her  academy  stood 
a  long  train  of  chariots.  Her  lecture  room  was  crowded  with 
the  cultured  classes  of  Alexandria.  They  came  to  ask  those 
profound  questions  that  human  reason,  unaided,  can  never 
answer:  "What  am  I?  Where  am  I?  What  can  I  know?" 

At  this  time,  Cyril,  archbishop  of  Alexandria,  was  attempt- 
ing to  force  upon  the  world  his  trinitarian  views.  His  absurd 
ideas  could  not  endure  the  sharp  criticism  of  philosophic 


ALEXANDRIA  NOTED   FOR  PHILOSOPHY.  45 

minds.  Cyril  employed  a  mob  of  Alexandrian  monks.  Amid 
the  fearful  yelling  of  these  bare-legged  and  black-cowled  fiends, 
Hypatia  was  dragged  from  her  chariot.  In  mortal  terror  she 
fled  to  an  adjacent  church,  and  was  there  brutally  murdered  by 
the  club  of  Peter  the  Reader.  But  this  was  not  all.  We  can 
only  get  a  faint  idea  of  the  depraved  condition  of  paganized 
Christianity,  when  we  call  to  mind  the  fact  that  the  monks  fin- 
ished their  infernal  crime  by  dismembering  her  body  and  scrap- 
ing the  flesh  from  her  bones  with  oyster  shells. 

Cyril  then  procured  the  banishment  of  all  who  held  opposing 
doctrines,  and  thus  his  absurd  doctrines  were  forced  upon 
society.  Such  was  the  debased  condition  of  society  in  a  city 
where  had  been  planted  one  of  the  apostolic  churches.  As  vice 
increased  her  prosperity  decreased.  During  the  reign  of  Con- 
stantine,  the  influence  of  Alexandria  was  much  diminished,  and 
with  the  Mahometan  conquest  it  fell  to  the  rank  of  a  provincial 
town. 

Jerusalem,  once  the  "glory  of  the  earth,  and  the  pride  of 
the  nations,"  never  recovered  from  the  siege  by  Titus,  in  A.  D. 
70.  The  answer  which  the  Jews  made  to  Pilate,  "His  blood 
be  upon  us  and  upon  our  children,"  which  they  spake  in 
reference  to  the  Savior,  has  been  terribly  and  literally  fulfilled. 
It  may  be  safely  asserted  that  Jerusalem  has  witnessed  more 
scenes  of  human  suffering  than  any  other  spot  on  earth. 

Who  does  not  see  the  hand  of  Providence  in  her  retribution, 
as  well  as  in  the  fate  of  Herculaneum  and  Pompeii? 

These  cities  were  destroyed  in  A.  D.  79,  by  an  eruption  of 
Mount  Vesuvius,  and  buried  by  a  shower  of  ashes,  sand  and 
stones.  Herculaneum  was  situated  about  eight  miles  south 
of  the  present  city  of  Naples,  and  Pompeii  about  fifteen  miles 
eastward. 

Thus  they  remained  buried  for  nearly  seventeen  hundred 
years.  Extensive  excavations  have  been  made  during  the 
past  century,  disclosing  the  city  walls,  streets,  temples,  theatres, 
private  dwellings,  domestic  utensils  and  statuary.  Many 
objects  have  been  found  which  indicate  the  wicked  and  licen- 
tious character  of  the  inhabitants,  and  go  to  prove  that  they 
were  ripe  for  the  destruction  which  awaited  them.  The  inhabi- 
tants died  just  as  the  catastrophe  found  them,  guests  in  their 


46 


THE   HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 


banqueting  halls,  soldiers    at    their  posts,   prisoners  in  their 
dungeons,  maidens  at  the  mirror  and  students  at  their  books. 


ERUPTION   OF  MOUNT  VESUVIUS. 


DESTRUCTION    OF   HERCULANEUM  AND  POMPEII.  47 

When  the  city  was  unearthed,  the  houses  were  found  stand- 
ing. The  interior  paintings  were  still  fresh,  and  the  skeletons 
remained  in  the  very  position  and  the  very  place  in  which 
death  had  overtaken  them  so  long  ago.  The  marks  left  by  the 
cups  of  the  tiplers  still  remained  on  the  counters  ;  the  prison- 
ers still  wore  their  fetters,  the  ladies  their  chains  and  brace- 
lets. The  researches  are  still  going  on,  new  wonders  are  every 
day  coming  to  light,  and  we  shall  soon  have  quite  a  distinct 
idea  of  Roman  towns  in  the  first  century  of  the  Christian 
era. 

Rome,  from  before  the  commencement  of  the  Christian  era, 
had  been  the  political  and  military  capital  of  the  world.  From 
her  gates  issued  forth  those  imperial  armies  that  conquered 
nations  and  crushed  the  liberties  of  mankind.  Her  rule  was 
not  one  of  reason  but  one  of  force.  From  the  age  of  Augustus 
Caesar  her  power  had  been  waning,  and  when  the  Emperor 
Constantine  removed  the  capital  to  Constantinople,  Rome 
became  a  city  of  secondary  importance.  Though  her  political 
prestige  was  gone  she  became  the  seat  of  a  religious  empire 
which  had  and  still  has  a  mighty  influence  in  the  nations  of 
the  earth.  The  wrongs  which  she  inflicted  on  others  have 
recoiled  with  terrible  retribution  on  herself.  Her  ruins  are 
silent  and  majestic  witnesses  of  the  providence  of  God. 

To  the  reign  of  Constantine  the  Great,  must  be  referred  the 
commencement  of  those  dark  and  dismal  times  which  oppressed 
Europe  for  a  thousand  years. 

Constantine,  while  dwelling  at  Rome,  had  murdered  his  son 
Crispus,  his  nephew  Licinius,  and  had  suffocated,  in  a  steam 
bath,  his  wife,  Fausta,  to  whom  he  had  been  married  twenty 
years,  and  who  was  the  mother  of  three  of  his  sons. 

The  public  abhorance  of  his  crimes  could  no  longer  be  con- 
cealed. Constantine  therefore  determined  to  change  his  resi- 
dence and  build  another  metropolis,  which  he  named  in  honor 
of  himself.  He  also  found  it  politic  to  favor  the  paganized 
and  wrangling  Christian  sects,  that  by  their  aid  he  might  be 
able  to  triumph  over  the  powerful  coalition  that  had  been 
formed  against  him.  The  reign  of  Constantine  is  therefore 
the  true  close  of  the  Roman  empire :  the  beginning  of  the 
Greek.  The  transition  from  the  one  to  the  other  is  ernphati- 


48  THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

cally  and  abruptly  marked,  by  a  new  metropolis  and  a  new 
national  religion. 

Constantinople,  at  present  the  capital  of  the  Turkish  empire, 
stands,  like  Rome,  on  seven  hills,  and  on  a  tongue  of  land 
projecting  into  the  Bosphorus,  which  here  forms  an  inlet  or 
small  bay  known  as  the  Grolden  Horn. 

The  Bosphorus,  as  most  of  our  readers  are  aware,  is  the 
name  given  to  the  strait  through  which  flow  the  waters  of  the 
Black  sea  into  the  sea  of  Marmora,  and  which  divides  Europe 
from  Asia. 

Constantinople  is  admirably  situated  for  commerce.  This  is 
one  reason  why  Russia  has  so  long  looked  upon  it  with  a 
covetous  eye.  In  fact,  the  reason  why  the  bay,  on  the  shores 
of  which  the  city  is  built,  has  been  called  the  "Grolden  Horn," 
or  horn  of  abundance,  is  because  into  it  was  brought  the 
wealth  of  three  continents  and  the  products  of  every  clime. 

That  which  is  commonly  called  Constantinople,  in  reality 
consists  of  three  great  cities,  divided  by  arms  of  the  sea,  yet 
so  near  to  each  other  that  the  edifices  of  either  of  the  cities 
may  be  seen  distinctly  from  the  other  two. 

The  view  here  given  represents  Constantinople  looking  from 
the  north.  In  the  background  is  seen  the  city  of  Scutari,  on 
the  Asiatic  side  of  the  Bosphorus.  The  hills  in  the  distance 
are  those  of  Asia  Minor.  On  the  right  is  shown  the  city  of 
Stamboul,  which  stands  on  the  site  of  the  ancient  Byzantium, 
and  the  foreground  represents  the  modern  city  of  Galata, 
where  the  greater  part  of  the  foreign  population  resides,  and 
where  the  exchange,  custom-house,  and  most  of  the  churches, 
convents  and  hospitals  are  situated. 

As  here  depicted  the  current  of  the  Bosphorus  flows  from 
left  to  right  and  disappears  in  the  distance. 

The  history  of  this  city  is  very  remarkable,  and  runs  far 
back  into  the  mist  of  antiquity.  Long  before  the  Christian 
era  it  was  a  place  of  considerable  trade  and  political  importance. 
Here  the  barbarians  from  the  coast  of  the  Black  sea  came  to  bar- 
ter their  furs  for  the  products  of  more  favored  regions.  Near 
this  point  Alexander  the  Great  crossed  the  Bosphorus  on  his 
great  campaign  of  eastern  conquest.  In  the  second  century 
before  Christ,  the  Romans  having  subdued  the  neighboring 


Of 


50  THE  HAND  OF  PROVIDENCE. 

countries,  built  a  fort  on  the  site  of  the  ancient  city  and  named 
it  Byzantium. 

The  Roman  emperor,  Constantine  the  Great,  enlarged  and 
beautified  the  city  and  made  it  the  capital  of  the  Roman 
empire,  and  in  honor  of  himself  changed  the  name  to  Con- 
stantinople. After  his  death  the  Roman  empire  was  divided, 
and  Constantinople  continued  to  be  the  capital  of  the  eastern 
division. 

For  more  than  one  thousand  years  it  was  the  residence  of 
the  Caesars  and  the  commercial  metropolis  of  the  world. 

Owing  to  the  religious  rivalry  of  Rome  it  was  taken  and 
partly  burned,  by  the  Crusaders,  in  A.  D.»  1205.  But  the 
most  memorable  siege  it  has  ever  endured  was  in  A.  D.  1453, 
when  it  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Ottoman  Turks.  By  a 
strange  coincidence  a  Constantine  gave  his  name  to  the  city, 
and  a  Constantine  reigned  at  its  fall. 

It  was  on  the  morning  of  April  6th,  A.  D.  1453,  that  Mahomet 
II. ,  gave  the  signal  for  the  attack,  and  the  Turkish  cannon 
(then  a  new  invention)  thundered  against  the  walls  of  the 
city.  For  fifty  days  the  siege  was  carried  on  with  little  success. 
At  last,  food  was  getting  scarce,  and  the  pangs  of  hunger  were 
sorely  felt  by  the  Christians  within  the  city.  But  hope  revived 
as  away  on  the  sea  of  Marmora,  they  spied  five  great  ships 
well  laden  with  supplies  and  with  the  Christian  flag  unfurled. 
Onward  the  vessels  flew  before  the  breeze,  but  what  a  sight 
met  them  as  they  neared  the  port !  Three  hundred  Turkish 
ships  were  drawn  up  in  a  line  across  the  straits,  each  filled 
with  troops  and  eager  for  the  fight.  But  there  were  brave 
hearts  in  those  five  gallant  Christian  ships,  fall  willing  to  meet 
the  outnumbering  enemy.  Gaily  they  careened  before  the 
swelling  breeze,  and  steering  straight  for  the  Turkish  line  bore 
down  upon  the  foe.  Suddenly  from  the  Christian  ranks 
there  burst  a  joyous  shout,  as  the  Turkish  ships  first  wavered 
and  then  fled.  In  vain  the  fierce  sultan,  Mahomet  II. ,  mad 
with  rage,  called  upon  his  captains  to  make  good  the  fight. 
But  the  rent  was  made,  and  amid  a  hundred  thousand  Chris- 
tian cheers  the  succoring  ships  sailed  in  victoriously  to  the 
Golden  Horn,  and  many  a  mother's  heart  was  glad  as  she 
closely  clasped  her  half-famished  child. 


CAPTURE   OF  CONSTANTINOPLE.  51 

A  strong  chain  had  meanwhile  been  placed  across  the  har- 
bor, to  prevent  the  entrance  of  the  Turkish  fleet.  But 
Mahomet  was  determined  not  to  be  baffled.  In  the  silence  of 
the  night  he  caused  eighty  boats  to  be  dragged  ten  miles 
across  the  neck  of  land  that  divides  the  sea  of  Marmora  from 
the  tip  of  the  Golden  Horn.  Rafts  were  then  made,  oil  which 
cannon  were  floated  to  bombard  the  city  from  the  harbor. 

By  the  29th  of  May  all  was  ready  for  the  final  battle.  The 
great  Byzantine  empire,  once  foremost  in  the  powers  of  the 
world,  had  shrunk  into  the  narrow  limits  of  a  few  square 
miles. 

The  sun  had  set,  and  night  fell  upon  the  contending  hosts. 
Christian  warriors,  as  they  lay  under  the  starry  canopy  of 
heaven,  cast  off  the  sterner  half  of  man,  and  let  their  softer 
natures  free :  and  loving  thoughts  of  sisters,  mothers,  wives 
went  winding  through  the  air,  to  meet  in  last  embrace. 

And  now  the  solemn  calm  before  the  storm  drew  near,  and 
all  was  hushed  and  still.  Constantine  did  not  sleep.  He  knew 
that  his  hour  was  at  hand.  With  a  few  chosen  knights,  he 
retired  to  the  great  church  of  St.  Sophia,  and  there  uncovered 
stood  before  the  cross.  To-morrow  the  great  Byzantine  empire 
would  pass  away  with  him!  His  tears  fell  thickly  at  the 
thought ;  and  he  prayed  that  he  might  die  as  became  a  Chris- 
tian knight.  Then  for  the  last  time  he  partook  of  the  sacra- 
ment, and,  turning  to  those  around,  he  said,  "I  pray  forgive- 
ness if  I  have  injured  any  one  in  thought,  or  word,  or  deed." 

He  stepped  to  the  portal  of  the  church,  where  stood  his 
impatient  steed,  placed  his  helmet  on  his  noble  head,  and 
mounting  into  the  saddle,  the  humble  penitent  rode  off  as 
warrior  Christian  king,  to  battle  and  to  die.  He  was  after- 
wards found  among  a  heap  of  the  slain. 

The  banner  of  the  cresent  waved  over  the  waters  of  the 
Bosphorus,  and  what  was  then  the  richest  capital  and  finest 
country  in  Europe.  Four  hundred  and  thirty  years  have 
rolled  by  since  then.  It  is  still  in  their  possession. 

The  appearance  of  Constantinople  at  the  present  time  is 
very  peculiar.  The  city  is  embosomed  in  gardens,  orchards 
and  vineyards.  The  houses  are  for  the  most  part  built  in  the 
form  of  a  hollow  square,  with  flat  roofs  and  the  windows  facing 


52  THE   HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

inward.  This  gives  to  the  cgmpact  parts  of  the  city  a  rather 
dingy  appearance.  The  streets,  especially  in  the  ancient  por- 
tions, are  extremely  narrow,  and  frequently  filthy.  It  is 
therefore  pleasant  to  turn  from  these  crowded  thoroughfares, 
and  in  a  few  moments'  walk,  find  yourself  surrounded  with 
shady  trees,  singing  birds,  fountains  and  flowers. 

Here,  in  the  limits  of  a  single  city,  may  be  found  represen- 
tatives of  almost  every  race  and  clime.  The  fair-haired  natives 
of  northern  Europe,  the  swarthy  inhabitants  of  Tartary,  tall 
fierce-looking  Circassians,  and  flat-nosed,  woolly-headed  negroes 
from  central  Africa;  all  mingling  with  the  more  polished 
inhabitants  of  western  Europe,  each  dressed  in  his  own  pecu- 
liar garb,  and  presenting  a  living  picture  no  less  striking  than 
strange.  In  this  great  hive  of  humanity  may  be  heard  at 
least  fifty  different  languages  making  a  complete  Babel  of 
sounds.  Here,  .also,  may  be  seen  in  striking  contrast,  the 
different  manners,  customs  and  usages  of  oriental  and  western 
nations. 

The  different  methods  used  in  the  transportation  of  merchan- 
dise are  no  less  peculiar ;  for  while  on  the  eastern  side  of  the 
city,  may  be  seen  approaching  long  caravans  of  camels  laden 
with  the  rich  products  of  the  East,  on  the  western  side  may  be 
heard  the  shriek  of  the  locomotive,  announcing  the  arrival  of 
a  train,  bringing  passengers,  merchandise  and  latest  intelli- 
gence from  western  nations. 

But  the  most  significant  custom  is  that  five  times  a  day  the 
muezzins,  or  Mahometan  priests,  ascend  to  the  top  of  the  mos- 
ques (as  places  of  worship  are  called)  and  which  are  thickly 
scattered  through  the  city,  and  in  a  loud  wailing  voice  exclaim, 
"G-od  is  great!  There  is  one  God!  Mahomet  is  His  prophet! 
Come  to  prayer ! ' '  This  is  repeated  four  times  facing  the  east, 
south,  west  and  north,  and  has  a  penetrating  effect  on  the 
mind  of  the  hearer,  much  more  than  the  sound  of  the  church- 
bell  of  the  Christians,  or  the  trumpet  of  the  Jews. 

Most  European  historians  have  lamented  the  seizure  of  Con- 
stantinople by  the  Turks  as  a  terrible  disaster.  To  the 
unprejudiced  student  of  history  there  seems  to  be  but  little 
reason  for  regret.  For  eleven  hundred  years  Constantinople 
had  greatly  influenced  the  destinies  of  the  world ;  but  during 


EFFECTS   OF  TURKISH  RI'1/K.  53 

all  that  time  her  power  had  tended  more  to  the  degradation 
than  to  the  elevation  of  mankind.  Her  citizens  possessed  all 
the  classical  writings  and  works  of  art  of  the  great  authors  of 
antiquity ;  yet  in  a  thousand  years  they  never  produced  one 
original,  never  advanced  one  step  in  philosophy  or  science,  or 
made  a  single  practical  discovery.  What  was  it  that  produced 
this  barrenness,  this  intellectual  degradation  in  Constantinople? 
It  was  the  tyranny  of  priestcraft  over  thought.  For  a  thou- 
sand years  Constantinople  had  been  not  merely  the  leading 
commercial  city,  but  also  the  leading  city  in  debauchery  and 
crime.  In  this  respect  it  has  vastly  improved  under  Turkish 
rule.  At  the  present  time,  especially  in  the  Mahometan 
portions  of  the  city,  it  is  the  least  licentious  of  all  the  great 
capitals  of  modern  Europe. 


CHAPTER    VI. 


RELIC-WORSHIP,      PILGRIMAGES 
AND     CRUSADES. 


GROWTH  OF  RELIC-WORSHIP — SCHEMES  OF  THE  ROMAN 
PONTIFFS — MANUFACTURE  OF  RELICS — THEIR  GtiEAT 
VARIETY — VALUE  OF  RELICS — INSULTS  OFFERED  TO  PIL- 
GRIMS— PETER  THE  HERMIT — CRUSADES — DISORDERLY 
RABBLE — TERRIBLE  SUFFERING — CAPTURE  OF  JERUSALEM 
— TERRIBLE  MASSACRE — CAPTURE  OF  CONSTANTINOPLE — 
CRUSADES  OF  THE  CHILD  REN— RESULT  OF  THE  CRUSADES 
—REVIVAL  OF  LEARNING. 

IN  previous  chapters  has  been  traced  the  apostasy  of  the 
early  church,  also  the  career  of  Mahomet,  and  the  con- 
quests and  achievements  of  the  Saracens.  While  these  events 
were  transpiring,  other  causes  were  at  work  which  led  eventu- 
ally to  the  elevation  of  mankind,  the  history  of  which  plainly 
indicates  the  workings  of  an  All-wise  Providence. 


54  THE  HAND  OF  PROVIDENCE. 

At  this  period  there  were  no  printed  books,  and  the  only 
means  of  religious  instruction  to  which  the  masses  had  access, 
were  the  pictures  and  images  to  be  found  in  the  churches, 
together  with  the  explanations  of  them  given  by  the  priests. 
By  means  of  these  practical  object-lessons  much  useful  infor- 
mation was  imparted.  The  principal  events  in  the  life  of  our 
Savior  were  thus  depicted,  and,  though  the  people  did  not 
fully  understand  the  grandeur  of  His  mission,  they  at  least 
learned  something  of  His  history,  their  duties  to  each  other 
and  their  own  future  destiny. 

Thus  there  came  to  be  associated  in  their  minds  a  reverence 
for  the  picture  or  image  itself,  and  this  idea  extended  until  it 
included  the  localities  where  the  great  events  of  the  Savior's 
life,  death  and  resurrection  transpired. 

With  the  growth  of  devotion  to  the  person  of  Christ,  grew 
the  feeling  of  reverence  for  every  place  which  He  had  visited 
and  every  memorial  which  He  had  left  behind  Him.  The 
impulse  once  given,  soon  became  irresistible.  Every  incident 
of  the  gospel  narratives  was  associated  with  some  particular 
spot,  and  millions  believed  that  the  sight  of  these  places  brought 
them  nearer  to  heaven.  The  cave  or  excavation  in  which  it 
was  said  the  Redeemer  was  born,  and  where  the  wise  men  of 
the  East  laid  before  Him  their  royal  gifts  of  gold,  frankincense 
and  myrrh,  the  mount  from  which  He  uttered  His  blessings 
on  the  meek,  the  merciful  and  the  pure  in  heart,  in  short, 
every  spot  connected  with  his  life,  death  and  resurrection 
called  forth  emotions  of  passionate  veneration.  These  feelings 
were  greatly  intensified  by  the  alleged  discovery  of  the  cross  on 
which  the  Savior  died,  together  with  the  two  crosses  on  which 
the  thieves  were  crucified. 

The  splendid  churches  raised  by  the  Emperor  Constantine 
and  his  mother  Helena  over  the  supposed  spot  of  our  Savior's 
birth  at  Bethlehen,  and  His  sepulchre  at  Jerusalem,  became 
for  the  Christian  of  that  day  what  the  tomb  of  the  prophet  at 
Medina  became  afterwards  to  the  followers  of  Mahomet. 

The  remission  of  sins  and  eternal  rewards  in  the  world  to 
come  were  the  blessings  promised  to  the  weary  pilgrim  when 
he  should  tread  the  classic  soil  of  Judea,  bathe  in  the  river 
Jordan,  chant  his  quiet  anthem  of  praise  in  the  cave  at  Bethle- 


MANUFACTURE  OF  RELICS.  55 

hem,  walk  in  the  quiet  shades  of  Gethseinane  and  kneel  in 
reverence  at  the  Savior's  tomb. 

No  wonder  then  that  a  hundred  thousand  pilgrims  might 
have  been  seen  each  year  wending  their  way  across  the  plains 
of  Asia  Minor,  destined  for  Jerusalem. 

The  Roman  pontiffs,  owing  to  the  ignorance  of  the  times, 
had  already  built  up  a  wide-spread  system  of  superstition. 


CHURCH   OF  THE  HOLY  SEPULCHRE. 

They  held  almost  imperial  sway  over  the  countless  hordes  of 
central  and  northern  Europe.  Even  kings  and  emperors 
paid  tribute,  and  sovereigns  dared  not  disobey  their  com- 
mands. As  an  instance,  might  be  mentioned  Henry  IV . ,  of 
G-ermany,  who  having  displeased  Pope  Gregory  VII. ,  was 
obliged,  under  penalty  of  losing  his  kingdom,  to  stand  as  a 
penitent  at  the  pope's  castle  gate  during  three  dreary  winter 


56  THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

days,  seeking  pardon  and  reconciliation  of  the  inexorable 
pontiff. 

It  is  not  surprising  that  the  popes,  who  had  long  trafficked 
in  human  credulity,  saw,  in  the  growth  of  relic-worship,  an 
opportunity  to  increase  their  own  power  and  the  revenues  of 
the  church  of  Rome.  Accordingly  an  understanding  was 
made  with  the  monks  of  Palestine  and  relics  were  manu- 
factured in  untold  numbers. 

An  amusing  and  instructive  chapter  might  be  written  on 
this  subject:  amusing  because  of  its  absurdity,  and  instructive 
as  it  shows  to  what  extremes  of  folly  men  will  go  when  left 
without  the  guidance  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

The  crimes  and  corruptions  of  the  papacy  had  destroyed  pub- 
lic confidence.  The  devout  instinctively  turned  with  reverence 
towards  every  object  that  recalled  the  memories  of  the  pure 
and  good  who  once  lived  upon  the  earth. 

No  sooner  had  the  wild  rage  for  relics  fairly  set  in  than  each 
monastery  in  the  vicinity  of  Jerusalem  made  a  specialty  of 
some  particular  relic.  The  monks  at  Bethlehem  sold  thousands 
of  pounds  of  half  rotten  rags,  each  fragment  purporting 
to  be  a  portion  of  the  swaddling  cloths  of  the  infant 
Savior.  The  monks  who  guarded  the  supposed  sepulchre  of 
Christ,  sold  hundreds  of  thousands  of  little  chips  of  stone 
said  to  have  been  broken  off  from  the  very  walls  of  the  tomb 
where  the  body  of  Jesus  had  lain.  It  does  not  seem  to  have 
shaken  the  credulity  of  the«pilgrims  in  the  least,  that  the 
tomb  still  remained  in  as  good  repair  as  ever,  and  showed  no 
marks  of  demolition. 

The  monks  who  inhabited  the  monasteries  on  the  banks  of 
the  Jordan  could  point  to  at  least  twenty  places  where  it  was 
said  the  Savior  had  been  baptized,  and  each  monastery 
possessed  numerous  pebbles  which  the  monks  claimed  had 
been  touched  by  His  feet.  No  less  than  seven  monasteries 
claimed  to  have  the  true  cross  in  their  possession,  and  thou- 
sands of  pieces,  of  wood  amounting  to  many  tons  in  weight, 
were  sold  to  devout  pilgrims.  Each  of  these  pieces,  it  was 
claimed,  was  a  part  of  the  true  cross. 

But  it  would  require  a  long  and  tedious  list  to  even  enumer- 
ate the  various  articles  comprised  in  this  relic-worship.  In 


EXTENT  OF  RELIC-WORSHIP.  ~>7 

order  to  get  some  faint  idea  of  their  extent  and  variety,  the 
relics  which  the  Abbot  Martin  obtained  for  his  monastery  in 
Alsace  might  be  mentioned.  These,  among  other  things, 
included  'ka  piece  of  the  true  cross,  a  fragment  of  the  infant 
Savior's  swaddling  cloths,  some  pebbles  from  the  river  Jor- 
dan which  the  Savior's  feet  had  touched,  a  branch  of  the  tree 
under  which  He  prayed  in  the  garden  of  Gethsemane,  a 
piece  of  the  Savior's  robe,  for  which  the  Roman  soldiers  cast 
lots,"  (see  Matthew,  27th  chapter),  "a  tooth  of  St.  Mark, 
seven  hairs  of  the  martyr,  Stephen,  a  thigh  bone  of  the 
animal  which  Jesus  rode  into  Jerusalem,"  (see  Luke,  19th 
chapter),  and  (I  hesitate  to  write  such  blasphemy)  "a  bottle 
of  the  milk  of  the  mother  of  God." 

In  connection  with  this  relic- worship,  an  amusing  anecdote 
is  related :  It  so  happened  that  about  thirty  pilgrims  were 
traveling  homeward  from  Palestine  together.  Being  some- 
what weary,  they  concluded  to  rest  and  refresh  themselves. 
Having  partaken  of  some  wine  too  freely  they  commenced  to 
boast  of  the  various  relics  which  each  had  in  his  possession. 
One  claimed  that  he  had  actually  the  identical  piece  of  money 
which  Peter  took  out  of  the  fish's  mouth  (see  Matthew,  17th 
chapter,  27th  verse).  But,  to  their  mutual  surprise,  they  soon 
found  that  each  had  made  a  similar  purchase.  It  was  plain 
that  at  least  twenty-nine  of  them  had  been  defrauded.  But 
they  reasoned  that  if  it  was  not  wrong  for  the  monks  to 
defraud  them,  it  would  not  be  wrong  for  them  to  defraud 
otheis.  So  they  quietly  sold  the  pieces  of  money  as  soon  as 
possible. 

No  doubt  one  reason  why  relic-worship  became  so  exten- 
sive, was  the  encouragement  given  to  it  by  the  Roman  pon- 
tiffs. It  was  boldly  asserted  that  the  possession  of  a  relic 
was  a  specific  against  evil  spirits,  accidents,  disease,  and,  in 
short,  nearly  every  evil  to  which  humanity  is  heir.  Hence  the 
great  demand  for  relics  by  the  ignorant  and  superstitious,  and 
the  vast  sums  of  money  which  were  thus  poured  into  the 
treasury  of  the  church  of  Rome. 

For  example,  a  tooth  of  an  apostle  was  valued  at  a  sum 
equal  commercially  to  one  hundred  dollars  of  our  money,  ami 
a  thousand  dollars  would  scarcely  buy  a  piece  of  the  true  cross 


58  THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

as  large  as  a  common  friction  match.  Of  course  these  prices 
varied  according  to  the  wealth  and  the  credulity  of  the  pur- 
chaser. 

When,  in  A.  D.  637,  Jerusalem  was  captured  by  the  Sara- 
cens, the  Christians  and  pilgrims  were  treated  with  much  con- 
sideration. They  were  not  only  to  be  safe  in  their  persons, 
but  undisturbed  in  the  exercise  of  their  religion  and  in  the  use 
of  their  churches. 

The  yearly  influx  of  at  least  one  hundred  thousand  pilgrims, 
however,  aroused  suspicion  among  the  great  mass  of  Mahom- 
etans, who  failed  to  comprehend  the  purport  of  their  extra- 
ordinary journey,  but  perceived  the  necessity  of  putting  some 
restraint  on  this  annual  rush  of  such  countless  multitudes. 
The  consequence  was  that  wrongs  were  inflicted  and  retaliated 
until  the  mere  journey  to  Jerusalem  involved  dangers  from 
which  even  the  bravest  might  shrink.  Insults  offered  to  the 
pilgrims  were  accompanied  by  insults  offered  to  the  holy  places 
and  to  those  who  ministered  in  them. 

Still  the  pilgrims  went  forth  by  thousands,  and  occasionally 
hundreds  and  frequently  only  tens  returned  to  recount  the 
miseries  and  wanton  cruelties  they  had  undergone. 

Throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  Christendom  a 
fierce  indignation  was  stirring  the  hearts  of  men,  and  their  rage, 
like  pent  up  waters,  needed  only  an  opportunity  to  rush  forth 
as  a  flood  over  the  lands  under  the  control  of  the  Mahom- 
etans. That  opportunity  was  not  long  wanting.  Peter,  the 
hermit,  who  had  witnessed  the  barbarities  to  which  the 
pilgrims  were  exposed,  roused  Europe  to  3  frantic  state  by  his 
preaching. 

Dwarfish  in  stature  and  mean  in  person,  he  was  yet  filled 
with  a  zeal  that  knew  no  bounds.  The  horrors  which  fired 
his  soul  were  those  which  would  most  surely  stir  the  conscience 
and  arouse  the  wrath  of  his  hearers.  His  fiery  appeals  carried 
everything  before  him.  Wherever  he  went,  the  rich  and  the 
poor,  the  aged  and  the  young,  the  nobles  and  the  peasants 
thronged  in  thousands  around  the  emaciated  stranger.  He 
traveled  with  his  head  and  feet  bare,  calling  on  all  classes  to 
deliver  from  the  unbeliever  the  land  which  was  the  cradle  of 
their  faith. 


CRTTSADES.  59 

The  vehemence  which  choked  his  own  utterance  became 
contagious.  His  sobs  and  groans  called  forth  the  tears  and 
cries  of  the  vast  crowds  who  hung  upon  his  words  and  greedily 
devoured  the  harrowing  accounts  of  the  pilgrims,  whom  Peter 
brought  forward  as  witnesses  of  the  truth  of  his  picture.  ^The 
excitement  and  frenzy  of  the  moment  threw,  no  doubt,  a 
specious  coloring,  over  an  enterprise  of  doubtful  morality, 
and  which  eventually  pandered  to  the  basest  passion  of 
humanity. 

These  wars  are  known  in  history  by  the  name  of  Crusades, 
from  the  Latin  term  crux,  a  cross,  which  emblem  was  painted 
on  the  breasts  or  shoulders  of  all  who  engaged  in  them. 

When  the  masses  were  thoroughly  excited,  Pope  Urban 
gave  the  enterprise  his  sanction,  and  promised  to  all  who 
would  enlist  a  fall  remission  of  their  sins.  This  encouraged 
innumerable  desperadoes  to  assume  the  badge  of  the  cross. 
Fanaticism  and  hypocrisy,  lust  and  avarice  strangely  urged 
their  several  votaries  to  pursue  one  path,  and  all  under  the 
sacred  and  now  woefully  profaned  name  of  Christian  zeal ! 

Yet  the  hand  of  Providence  was  in  all  this.  Even  the  rage 
of  men  worked  out  His  purpose,  and,  as  the  sequel  will  show, 
produced  results  which,  under  the  controlling  hand  of  God^ 
led  to  the  elevation  of  the  race. 

To  give  a  detailed  description  of  the  Crusades  would  alone 
require  a  volume.  It  is  enough  to  say  that  the  first  Crusade 
failed,  not  only  disastrously,  but  hideously,  so  far  as  the 
ignorant  rabbles  under  Peter,  the  hermit,  and  Walter,  the 
penniless,  were  concerned.  The  long  and  ghastly  line  of 
bones  whitening  the  roadside  all  the  way  from  Hungary  to 
Judea,  showed  how  different  a  thing  it  was  for  a  peaceable 
and  solitary  pilgrim  with  his  staff  and  wallet  and  scallop- 
shell  to  beg  his  way,  and  the  disorderly  rabble  of  thousands 
upon  thousands  to  rush  forward  without  any  organization, 
and  gathering  their  daily  supplies  by  robbing  and  killing 
the  helpless  peasants  on  their  route.  This,  in  their  ignorance 
or  blasphemy,  they  called  "trusting  in  the  providence  of 
God." 

The  van  of  the  Crusades  consisted  of  two  hundred  and 
seventy-five  thousand  men.  Behind  these  came  a  rabble  of 


CO  THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

two  hundred  thousand  men,  women  and  children,  preceded 
by  a  goat  and  a  goose,  into  which  some  blasphemous  lunatic 
had  told  them  that  the  Holy  Grhost  had  entered.  When  at 
length  these  animals  died,  a  representation  of  them  was  painted 
on  their  banner. 

In  this  vile  horde  no  pMense  was  kept  up  of  order  or  of 
decency.  Driven  to  madness  by  disappointment  and  famine, 
and  expecting,  in  their  ignorance,  that  every  town  they  came 
to  must  be  Jerusalem,  they  laid  hands  on  whatever  they  could 
in  their  extremity.  Their  track  was  marked  by  robbery,  fire 
and  bloodshed.  In  the  first  Crusade  alone,  more  than  five 
hundred  thousand  human  beings  perished.  However,  a 
better  organized  expeditijn  soon  followed,  commanded  by 
Godfrey  de  Bouillon,  Duke  of  Lorraine.  By  him  Jerusalem 
was  captured  July  15th,  A.  D.  1099.  As  might  be  expected, 
its  siege  and  capture  were  attended  by  the  perpetration  of 
cruelties  almost  surpassing  belief. 

What  a  contrast  to  the  conduct  of  the  Arabs,  when  the 
Caliph  Omar  took  Jerusalem,  A.  D.  637  !  He  rode  into  the  city 
by  the  side  of  the  patriarch,  Saphronius,  conversing  with  him 
on  its  antiquities.  When  the  time  of  evening  prayer  arrived, 
he  declined  to  pay  his  devotions  in  the  church  of  Constantine, 
fearing  that  his  followers  might  wish  to  imitate  his  example, 
and  thus  render  it  practically  useless  to  the  Christians ;  but  he 
knelt  outside  in  the  yard  near  the  entrance  gate.  What  a  supreme 
act  of  religious  toleration  !  When  will  free-born  Americans 
learn  to  act  thus  nobly  ? 

But  in  the  capture  of  Jerusalem  by  the  Crusaders  the 
brains  of  young  children  were  dashed  out  against  the  walls, 
infants  were  thrown  over  the  battlements,  men  and  women 
were  tortured  that  they  might  be  compelled  to  disclose  hidden 
wealth,  the  Jews  were  driven  into  their  synagogue  and  there 
burnt.  A  massacre  of  seventy  thousand  persons  took  place,  and 
the  pope's  especial  ambassador  was  seen  "partaking  in  the 
triumph. 

Such  were  the  exploits  of  the  first  Crusade.  The  second 
was  barren  of  results  except  the  inhuman  butchery  of  thou- 
sands of  unoffending  Jews.  The  third  produced  no  permanent 
effects,  but  a  halo  of  false  glory  is  shed  around  it,  from  the 


CRUSADES   OF  THE  CHILDREN.  61 

exploits  of  Richard  the  Lion-heart,  king  of  England,  who 
was  connected  with  it,  and  whose  adventures  have  stirred  to 
enthusiasm  even  the  dullest  of  historians.  With  great  diffi- 
culty, Pope  Innocent  III.,  succeeded  in  preparing  the  fourth 
Crusade,  A.  D.  1202.  The  government  of  Venice  agreed  to 
furnish  ships  to  carry  them  to  Palestine,  but,  actuated'by  a 
love  of  plunder,  and  a  desire  to  gratify  the  bitter  feeling  which 
existed  between  the  popes  of  Rome  and  the  bishops  of  Con- 
stantinople, they  turned  aside  to  vent  their  rage  on  their  fellow - 
Christians.  Constantinople  was  taken  by  storm  A.  D.  J  204. 
On  the  night  of  its  capture  more  houses  were  burned  than 
could  be  found  in  any  three  of  the  largest  cities  of  France. 
The  treasures  of  the  churches  were  carried  away,  and  even 
the  tombs  of  the  ancient  emperors  were  rifled  in  the  mad  search 
for  relics. 

Thus,  Crusade  followed  Crusade  for  more  than  one  hundred 
and  fifty  years,  until  nine  armies,  comprising  more  than  three 
millions  of  men,  laid  their  bodies  down  to  decay  and  their 
bones  to  whiten  on  the  plains  and  hill-sides  of  the  East. 

Among  all  the  enterpises,  none  were  more  wild  and  wicked 
than  those  which  are  called  the  "Crusades  of  the  children." 
Emissaries  from  Rome  went  throughout  Western  Europe, 
preaching  and  declaring  that  God  would  only  give  the  Holy 
Land  into  the  hands  of  innocent  children.  Pope  Innocent 
III.  applauded  their  wild  enthusiasm.  "These  children," 
said  he,  "are  a  reproach  to  us  of  riper  age.  While  they  hurry 
to  Palestine,  we  are  asleep." 

A  few  words  will  suffice  to  tell  the  story  how  twenty  thou- 
sand children,  under  the  boy  Stephen,  encamped  around  Yen- 
dome.  In  less  than  a  month  ten  thousand  of  them  had 
perished  or  strayed  ^away.  When  they  reached  Marseilles, 
they  lingered  near  the  shore,  expecting  the  Mediterranean  to 
divide,  and,  like  the  Red  Sea  in  ancient  times,  give  them  a  dry 
passage  to  Palestine.  At  length  two  merchants  offered  to 
convey  them  there  in  ships,  without  charge;  but  at  the  end  of 
their  journey  they  found  themselves,  not  in  Palestine,  but  in 
the  slave  markets  of  Alexandria  and  Algiers. 

A  sequel  to  this  "o'er  true  tale"  is  found  in  the  sufferings  of 
another  rabble  of  thirty  thousand  boys  and  girls,  who,  under 


TFIE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCF. 

± 


REVIVAL  OF  LEARNING.  63 

the  peasant  lad,  Nicholas,  in  crossing  the  Alps  lost  nearly  half 
their  number.  Five  thousand  reached  Genoa,  and,  being 
invited  by  the  seriate,  concluded  to  settle  there.  The  rest 
marched  to  Brindisi,  and,  setting  sail  for  Palestine,  were  never 
heard  of  more. 

Worthless  in  themselves  and  wholly  useless  as  a  means  for 
founding  any  permanent  dominion  in  Palestine  or  elsewhere, 
these  enterprises  were  a  means  in  the  overruling  hand  of  God 
of  effecting  the  nations  of  Europe  in  a  way  which  the  pro- 
moters never  dreamed  of. 

Their  results  were  many  and  various.  One  was  that  they 
drew  away  many  of  the  warlike  and  turbulent,  and  gave,  as  it 
were,  a  resting  time  for  the  states  of  Western  Europe,  during 
which,  learning,  science  and  general  culture,  among  the  quietly- 
disposed,  made  rapid  advances,  and  many  cities  and  smaller 
states  rose  from  obscurity  to  opulence  and  power. 

Another  was  the  change  of  feeling  which  took  place  in  the 
Crusaders  themselves.  What  a  surprise  awaited  these  religious 
barbarians — for  such  they  really  were — when  for  the  first  time 
they  gazed  on  the  splendors  of  Constantinople  in  its  palmiest 
days!  What  a  contrast  to  their  own  rude  homes,  when  they 
passed  into  Asia  Minor,  that  garden  of  the  world,  presenting 
well-cultivated  fields,  orchards,  vineyards,  palaces  and  schools, 
the  civilization  of  a  thousand  years !  How  unexpected  the 
character  of  those  Saracens,  whom  they  had  been  taught  to 
regard  as  no  better  than  bloodthirsty  fiends,  but  whom  they 
found  to  be  valiant,  merciful  and  just ! 

When  Richard  the  Lion-heart,  king  of  England,  lay  in 
his  tent  consumed  by  a  fever,  there  came  into  the  camp  camels 
laden  with  snow,  from  Mount  Lebanon,  to  assuage  his  disease. 
It  was  a  present  from  his  enemy,  the  great  Mahometan  Saladin 
— the  homage  of  one  brave  soldier  to  another.  But  when 
Bichard  was  returning  to  England  it  was  by  a  Christian  prince, 
who  should  have  aided  him,  that  he  was  treacherously  seized 
and  secretly  confined. 

This  was  doubtless  only  one  of  many  such  incidents.  Every 
Crusader  must  have  recognized  the  difference  between  what 
they  had  anticipated  and  what  they  had  found.  They  had  seen 
undaunted  courage,  chivalrous  bearing,  intellectual  culture  and 


64  THE  RAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

religious  toleration  far  greater  than  their  own.  When  the 
Crusaders  returned  to  their  native  lands,  they  carried  with  them 
the  memory  of  their  experiences,  and  a  relish  for  more  polished 
manners  and  a  higher  civilization  than  that  to  which  they  had 
been  accustomed  at  home.  Hence,  immediately  after  the 
Crusades  the  arts  and  sciences  began  to  be  sedulously  cultivated 
in  Europe.  They  had  departed  with  the  intent  of  conquering, 
aye  even  exterminating  their  enemies;  but  by  contact  with 
those  enemies  they  had  learned  in  some  things  "a  more  excel- 
lent way."  The  words  of  the  Koran  inscribed  on  the  banner 
of  Saladin  are  true :  ' '  There  is  no  conqueror  but  God ! ' ' 
Equally  true  the  words  written  by  the  Prophet  Esdras,  as  he 
sat  by  the  side  of  the  willow-fringed  river  of  Babylon  more 
than  twenty-three  hundred  years  ago:  "As  for  truth,  it 
endureth  and  is  always  strong ;  it  liveth  and  conquereth  for 
evermore,"  (see  Apocrypha,  I.  Esdras,  iv.,  38). 


CHAPTER    VII. 


THE   DAWN  OF  MODERN   INTELLIGENCE. 


THE  MORNING    DAWNS — RISE    OF    KNIGHTHOOD — PRINCIPLES 
OF  KNIGHTS— APOSTATE  PRIESTS   HELD     IN     CONTEMPT— 

WALDENSES — PERSECUTIONS  IN  SOUTHERN  FRANCE — 
RISE  OF  THE  INQUISITION — LIBERAL  POLICY  OF  FREDERICK 
— "EVERLASTING  GOSPEL" — ITS  REMARKABLE  TEACH- 
INGS— BACON'S  DISCOVERIES — GEOGRAPHICAL  KNOWL- 
EDGE— AZORES  AND  CANARY  ISLANDS— TRAVELS  OF 
MARCO  POLO — CONDITION  OF  EUROPEAN  STATES — 
MODERN  STATES. 

rFvHOSE  who  have  waited  for  the  dawning  of  the  morning 
A  in  the  latter  part  of  a  clear  summer  night,  can  understand 
the  delight  experienced  at  the  first  tokens  of  approaching  day. 
At  first  the  rays  of  light  are  very  faint  and  only  perceptible  to 
a  keen  and  experienced  eye.  As  time  wears  on  the  timid 
approach  of  twilight  becomes  more  perceptible.  The  intense 
blue  of  the  sky  begins  to  soften.  The  rays  that  first  darted  up 


RISE  OF  KNIGHTHOOD.  65 

in  the  far  north-east,  though  occasionally  intercepted  by  moun- 
tains or  banks  of  clouds,  gradually  swing  around  to  the  east. 
The  darkness  of  the  night  dissolves  into  the  glories  of  the 
dawn.  The  great  watch- stars  fade  away,  one  by  one.  The 
whole  firmament  is  filled  with  the  inflowing  tides  of  morning 
light.  At  length  a  stream  of  golden  sunlight  flashes*  out 
from  above  the  hills  and  turns  the  dewy  tear-drops  of  flower 
and  leaf  into  rubies  and  diamonds.  Thus  the  king  of  day 
begins  his  course  arrayed  in  glories  too  severe  for  the  gaze  of 
man. 

In  like  manner  we  may  in  imagination  gaze  at  the  dawning 
of  "the  dispensation  of  the  fullness  of  times,"  and  watch  the 
increasing  rays  of  moral,  intellectual  and  spiritual  light,  feeble 
indeed  at  first,  yet  constantly  growing  stronger,  though  some- 
times intercepted  by  mountains  of  bigotry  and  mists  of  error, 
until  at  length  the  gospel's  glorious  sunshine  again  lights  a 
benighted  world,  and  the  divine  authority  and  Priesthood  are 
restored  to  the  children  of  men.  But  let  us  not  anticipate. 
Let  us  rather  patiently  decipher  on  history's  scroll  the  charac- 
ters written  there  by  the  finger  of  God.  Let  us  carefully  watch 
the  development  of  His  purposes  amid  the  strife  and  commo- 
tion of  those  perilous  times. 

With  the  close  of  the  Crusades  the  midnight  darkness  of 
human  history  ended.  Human  misery  had  reached  its  climax. 
Superstition  and  ignorance  had  done  their  most  terrible  work. 
Thousands,  aye  even  millions  had  had  an  opportunity  of  com- 
paring the  teachings  and  pretenses  of  Rome  with  other  civil- 
izations. It  is  almost  needless  to  say  that  Catholicism  had 
seriously  suffered  by  the  comparison.  Rome  was  weighed  in 
the  balance  and  found  wanting. 

Those  of  the  Crusaders  who  remained  in  Palestine  were  soon 
blended  with  the  Mahometan  population,  and  in  a  few  years 
scarce  a  vestige  of  them  remained.  Many  of  the  leaders  who 
returned  were,  like  Richard  the  Lion-Hearted,  full  of  praise 
of  the  treatment  they  had  received  from  their  enemies,  and 
spent  much  of  their  time  in  founding  various  orders  of  chivalry 
and  knighthood.  At  first  those  orders  received  the  benediction 
of  the  popes.  Some  of  them  were  even  organized  before  they 
returned  from  the  Holy  Land.  Of  such  were  the  famous 


(,()  THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

knights  of  St.  John  and  Knights  Hospitaller.  But  it  was  soon 
found  that  those  brave  men  loved  liberty  more  than  priestcraft, 
so  after  a  time,  notwithstanding  their  eminent  services,  they 
were  weakened  and  divided  by  stratagem,  charges  were  pre- 
ferred against  them  and  they  were  cruelly  put  to  death.  The 
story  of  their  fate  will  ever  remain  one  of  the  darkest  pages  in 
the  annals  of  our  race.  But  their  death  only  accellerated  the 
progress  of  their  ideas.  The  spirit  and  institutions  of  chivalry 
spread  rapidly. 

Treachery  and  hypocrisy  were  held  by  them  in  detestation. 
"To  speak  the  truth,  to  succor  the  helpless  and  never  turn  back 
from  an  enemy,'1  was  the  first  vow  of  the  youth  who  sought 
the  honors  of  chivalry. 

In  an  age  of  darkness  and  degradation,  chivalry  developed  the 
character  of  woman.  It  caused  her  virtues  to  be  appreciated 
and  honored,  made  her  the  equal  and  companion  of  man,  and 
the  object  of  his  love  and  devotion.  The  love  of  God  and  the 
protection  of  women  were  enjoined  as  a  single  duty  (see 
Halem's  Middle  Ages,  page  512).  He  who  was  faithful  to  his 
vow  and  true  to  his  wife  was  sure  of  salvation  in  the  opinion  of 
the  knights,  though  he  failed  to  perform  the  penance  prescribed 
by  the  Romish  clergy. 

Chivalry  was  the  religion  of  the  heart,  in  a  rude  and  untu- 
tored age.  It  had  the  effect  of  infusing  more  of  humanity 
and  generous  principle  into  the  operations  of  war  than  the 
ancient  nations  had  any  conception  of.  Hence  we  seldom  or 
never  hear  in  modern  times  of  such  scenes  of  unmingltd 
atrocity,  such  deadly  treachery,  such  extensive  and  cold-blooded 
massacres  as  we  so  frequently  read  of  in  ancient  pagan  or  papal 
history. 

At  the  close  of  the  Crusades  a  great  change  commenced  in 
society.  The  minstrels,  who  with  harps  had  gone  about  sing- 
ing ballads,  commemorating  deeds  of  heroism  and  adventure, 
now  changed  their  theme  and  sang  songs  of  a  very  different 
character.  Amid  shouts  of  laughter  they  went  through  the 
land,  wagging  their  heads,  and  slyly  winking  their  eyes,  and 
singing  derisive  songs  about  the  amours  of  the  priests,  who  in 
turn  were  not  slow  to  denounce  the  minstrels  as  lewd  blas- 
phemers and  atheists. 


THE  WALDENSES.  67 

While  the  young  were  singing,  the  old  were  thinking ;  while 
the  gay  were  carried  away  with  romance  and  chivalry,  the  grave 
and  reflecting  were  falling  into  heresy. 

About  A.  D.  1100,  Peter  Waldo,  a  wealthy  citizen  of  Lyons, 
became  con  viced  of  the  corruptions  of  Rome.  He,  probably 
aided  by  others,  translated  the  scriptures  into  Provencal  French. 
Thus,  to  him  the  world  is  indebted  for  the  first  translation  of 
the  Bible  into  a  modern  tongue.  Waldo  could  not  long  remain 
in  Lyons.  He  fled  into  Germany  and  afterwards  settled  in 
Bohemia,  where  he  died  about  A,  D.  1179.  He  was  the  instru- 
ment of  spreading  those  liberal  ideas  in  Bohemia,  of  which 
John  Huss  and  Jerome  of  Prague  became  in  after  times  worthy 
representatives.  At  the  time  of  his  death  it  is  said  that  Waldo 
had  five  hundred  thousand  followers. 

Already,  A.  D.  1L34,  Peter  de  Brueys  had  been  burned  at 
Languedoc  for  denying  infant  baptism.  Already  the  valleys 
of  Piedmont  were  full  of  Waldenses,  who  denounced  the 
greed  of  the  popes  and  the  intermingling  of  bishops  in  blood- 
shed and  war.  At  this  juncture  Innocent  III.,  ascended  the 
pontifical  throne.  Here  was  a  state  of  things  which,  as  he 
considered,  demanded  immediate  attention.  The  methods  to 
which  he  resorted  for  the  suppression  and  extinction  of 
heretics,  as  misbelievers  were  called,  have  made  his  name  for- 
ever infamous. 

Innocent  well  knew  that  the  greed  and  the  corruptions  of 
the  clergy  had  made  them  unpopular  with  the  people.  He 
therefore  established  the  mendicant  orders  of  priests,  more 
commonly  known  under  the  names  of  Franciscans  and 
Dominicans.  Vowed  to  poverty  and  living  on  alms,  they 
lived  and  moved  among  the  masses,  and  yet  were  held  sacred. 
The  accusations  and  dissipation  of  luxury  so  forcibly  urged 
against  the  regular  clergy,  were  altogether  inapplicable  to  these 
half-starved  wandering  fanatics.  Once  more  for  a  time  the 
popes  had  gained  possession  of  the  ear  of  the  masses. 

At  this  time  Southern  France  was  the  garden  of  reform. 
Here  the  eloquence  of  Abelard,  the  patriotism  of  Arnold  and 
the  statesmanship  of  Frederick  wielded  a  mighty  influence. 
Like  seeds  falling  into  good  ground,  they  brought  forth  much 
fruit.  Already  Arnold  had  been  burned  at  the  stake  and  his 


68  THE   HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

ashes  thrown  on  the  waves  of  the  Tiber.  He  has  thus  become 
the  heritage,  as  it  were,  of  every  nation  whose  shores  are 
washed  by  the  tides  of  the  sea.  Seven  centuries  have  rolled 
by  since  then,  yet  the  memory  of  Arnold  of  Brescia  is 
ever  green;  the  principles  for  which  he  lived  and  died  are 
now  incorporated  in  every  constitutional  government  on  the 
globe. 

In  no  land  were  his  principles  more  prevalent  than  in 
Southern  France,  and  on  it  Innocent  determined  to  vent  his 
rage.  In  looking  around  for  a  suitable  pretext  that  would  rouse 
the  masses  and  excite  them  to  religious  frenzy,  he  soon  dis- 
covered the  object  for  which  he  sought.  It  was  Raymond,  earl 
of  Toulouse,  who  had  so  far  turned  Mahometan  that  he 
had  no  less  than  three  wives  in  emulation  of  his  Saracen 
neighbors  beyond  the  Pyrenees.  An  investigation  of  the 
domestic  life  of  Raymond,  would  have  shown  it  to  have  been 
fir  more  honorable  than  that  of  the  popes,  themselves.  Ray- 
mond was  therefore  arrested  on  the  charge  of  heresy,  of 
harboring  heretics  and  placing  offices  of  trust  in  the  hands  of 
worthy  Jews.  His  subjects  were  indignant,  for  Raymond,  it 
would  seem,  was  a  wise  and  good  ruler  and  much  loved  by  his 
people. 

In  the  disputes  that  ensued  the  pope's  embassador  was 
accidentally  killed.  Innocent  considered  this  a  sufficient  reason 
ior  sending  into  the  earl's  dominion  an  army  of  nearly  five 
hundred  thousand  men.  There  was  no  alternative  for  the  earl 
but  to  submit.  He  surrendered  up  his  strong  places,  and  even 
acknowledged  the  justice  of  his  punishment.  He  was  publicly 
stripped  naked  to  the  waist,  and,  with  a  rope  around  his  neck, 
led  to  the  altar  of  the  cathedral  and  there  scourged. 

But  the  humiliation  and  scourging  of  the  earl  was  not 
sufficient  to  satisfiy  the  soldiery.  They  had  come  for  blood  and 
plunder,  and  blood  and  plunder  the}7  must  have.  Then  fol- 
io wtd  such  a  scene  of  horror  as  tongue  or  pen  cannot  describe. 
The  army  was  officered  by,  Roman  and  French  prelates. 
Bishops  were  its  generals  and  an  archdeacon  its  engineer. 
The  pope's  ambassador  was  the  commander-in-chief,  who, 
when  asked  by  a  subordinate  officer  at  the  battle  of  Beziers, 
how  the  Catholics  might  be  distinguished  from  the  misbe- 


TERRIBLE    MASSACRE.  69 

lievers  and  saved,  replied:     "Kill  them  all,  God  will  know 
His  own  in  the  resurrection."       In  the  church  of 
Magdalene,  seven  thousand  persons  were  massacred. 


city  twenty  thousand  more  were  slaughtered.       The  place  was 
then  fired  and  left  as  a  monument  of  priestly  vengeance. 


70  THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

At  the  massacre  of  Levaur  four  hundred  persons  were  piled 
together  and  burned.  The  embassador,  in  making  up  his 
dispatches  to  the  pope,  said  that  "they  made  a  wonderful  blaze, 
and  then  went  to  bum  everlastingly  in  hell. ' ' 

It  was  hoped  that  these  horrors  would  so  terrify  men  that 
they  would  never  again  dare  to  use  the  God-given  power  of 
reason.  The  soil  had  been  steeped  with  the  blood  of  men 
and  the  air  polluted  by  their  burnings ;  yet  all  this  did  not 
stifle  the  truth,  nor  prevent  its  growth.  Hoping  still  to  effect 
this,  that  infernal  institution,  the  Inquisition,  was  established. 
Its  projectors  intended  it  not  only  to  put  an  end  to  public 
teaching,  but  also  to  private  thought.  When  once  the 
Inqusition  seized  its  victim,  no  person,  not  even  the  nearest 
relative,  could  converse  with  him,  write  to  him  or  intercede 
for  him.  He  was  lost  to  public  view  until  the  hour  for  his 
torture  or  execution  had  arrived.  In  Spain  alone  more  tlian 
three  hundred  and  forty  thousand  passed  through  its  terrible 
ordeal.  But  this  fearful  tribunal  did  not  fail  to  draw  upon 
itself  the  indignation  of  men.  Such  outrages  against  human- 
ity cannot  be  perpetrated  without  bringing  retribution  in  the 
end. 

The  great  forces  which  were  then  at  work  in  society,  were 
well  illustrated  in  the  characters  of  the  two  leading  actors. 
On  one  side  stands  Innocent  III.,  his  hands  red  with  the  blood 
of  his  fellow-men,  and  hesitating  at  no  atrocity  in  order  to 
accomplish  his  purposes. 

On  the  other,  was  Frederick  II.,  emperor  of  Germany  and 
Italy.  Frederick's  early  life  had  been  spent  in  familiar  inter- 
course with  Jews  and  Arabs.  In  a  Saracen  university  he  had 
received  his  education ;  and  to  his  many  other  accomplish- 
ments, he  added  the  speaking  of  the  Arabic  as  fluently  as  a 
Saracen.  Jewish  and  Saracen  philosophers  had  taught  him  to 
sneer  at  the  pretensions  of  the  church  of  Rome:  as  might  be 
expected  he  soon  came  in  conflict  with  her  authorit}7. 

Between  Innocent  and  Frederick  was  perpetual  enmity; 
but  for  a  time  the  conflict  was  deferred.  During  this  interval 
the  greatness  of  Frederick  was  manifested  in  the  internal 
improvements  of  his  kingdom.  He  instituted  a  represententa- 
tive  assembly  or  parliament,  which  by  his  sanction  framed  a 


LIBP:RAL  POLICY  OF  FREDERICK.  71 

code  of  wise  and  useful  laws.  This  code  asserted  the  princi- 
ple of  equal  rights  to  all,  the  peasants,  the  nobles  and  the 
church,  and  an  equal  proportion  of  taxation.  It  also  pro- 
vided for  the  toleration  of  all  religions,  Catholc,  Jewish  and 
Mahometan.  Frederick  emancipated  all  the  serfs  and  slaves 
of  his  dominions,  established  cheap  courts  of  justice  for4  the 
poor,  and  regulated  trade  and  commerce.  He  even  laid  down 
some  of  those  commercial  and  political  maxims  recently  dis- 
cussed by  Adam  Smith  and  John  Stuart  Mill,  and  only  in  our 
own  times  finally  received  as  true.  He  also  established  fairs 
and  markets,  for  the  exchange  of  products,  and  offered  prizes 
for  mechanical  improvements  and  the  best  breeds  of  domestic 
animals.  In  Naples  he  founded  a  great  university  with  liberal 
provision  for  worthy  but  indigent  youths.  Under  him 
sculpture,  painting,  poetry  and  music  were  liberally  patron- 
ized, and  the  Italian  tongue  first  rose  to  the  dignity  of  a  lan- 
guage. 

All  this  was  an  abomination  in  the  sight  of  Rome.  Gregory 
IX.,  succeeded  to  the  pontifical  chair  in  A.  D.  1228.  Fred- 
erick and  his  parliaments,  his  laws  and  universities,  his 
libraries  and  his  toleration  were  all  denounced,  and  Frederick 
himself  was  delivered  over  to  Satan  for  the  good  of  his  soul. 
For  thirty  years  Frederick  combated  the  power  of  the  church, 
but  he  sank  in  the  conflict  at  last.  But  the  fate  of  men  is  by 
no  means  an  indication  of  the  fate  of  principles. 

"Truth  crushed  to  earth  will  rise  again, 
The  eternal  years  of  God  are  hers." 

Though  denounced  then,  Frederick  is  now  considered  one  of 
the  benefactors  of  his  race. 

Meanwhile  an  ominous  cloud  was  gathering  in  the  horizon 
of  Rome.  The  Franciscans,  weary  of  poverty,  began  to 
denounce  the  luxury  and  corruptions  of  the  regular  clergy. 
At  this  juncture  a  strange  book  make  its  appearance,  which, 
under  the  title  of  "The  Everlasting  Grospel,"  struck  terror  to 
the  hearts  of  the  papal  authorities. 

It  was  affirmed  that  an  angel  brought  it  from  heaven  and 
gave  it  to  the  priest  called  Cyril,  who  it  was  said  delivered  it  to 
the  Abbot  Joachim,  by  whom  the  book  was  publishedv  Cyril 


72  THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

had  been  dead  about  fifty  years  when  the  work  first  made  its  . 
appearance.  According  to  the  admissions  of  Catholic  his- 
torians, "The  work  displayed  an  enlarged  and  masterly  con- 
ception of  the  historical  progress  of  humanity. ' '  It  claimed 
that  ^Romanism  had  done  its  work  and  must  now  make  way 
for  a  new  order  of  ideas.  It  proceeded  to  show  that  there 
are  epochs,  or  ages  in  the  divine  government  of  the  world. 
During  the  Jewish  dispensation,  it  had  been  under  the 
immediate  influence  of  God  the  Father.  For  the  next  twelve 
hundred  years,  it  had  been  under  the  control  of  God  the  Son, 
but  the  time  has  now  arrived  when  the  world  would  be  under 
the  special  control  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  That  man  need  no 
longer  treasure  up  the  relics  of  antiquity,  search  after  the 
sayings  of  the  early  fathers  or  even  solely  and  implicitly  rely 
on  the  letter  of  the  ancient  scriptures,  for  the  Holy  Spirit 
would  manifest  itself  in  visions,  dreams  and  revelations  to  the 
children  of  men. 

One  of  the  grand  principles  which  it  taught  was,  "the 
divine  right  of  private  judgment."  It  asserted  that  genius 
should  not  be  considered  an  individual  possession,  but  rather 
"the  gift  of  God — the  visible  rnanifestion  of  the  secret  work- 
ings of  the  Holy  Spirit  for  the  elevation  of  the  race."  In 
short,  it  taught  that  "every  invention  and  discovery  was  only, 
in  some  degree,  a  revelation  of  God  to  man,"  an  unfolding 
of  the  secret  laws  of  nature  to  man's  finite  understanding.  It 
considered,  "those  heroes  as  inspired,  who,  springing  from 
society  at  appointed  epochs,  displayed  a  mental  or  moral  power 
beyond  the  ordinary  limits  of  humanity,  and  around  whom,  as 
around  a  superior  and  mysterious  power,  nations  and  indi- 
viduals unhesitatingly  gather. ' ' 

It  recognized  the  hand  of  God  in  those  grand  revolutions, 
those  great  men,  those  mighty  nations,  which,  arising  from 
obscurity,  communicate  a  fresh  impulse,  new  vigor  and 
advanced  ideas  to  the  human  race.  It  was  without  doubt  the 
most  powerful  written  work  which  had  appeared  since  the 
days  of  the  apostles.  No  wonder  the  pope,  Alexander  IV., 
took  immediate  measures  for  its  destruction.  So  far  from 
being  suppressed,  its  copies  were  multiplied  rapidly,  though 
printing  was  as  yet  unknown. 


TEACHINGS   OF  THE    ' 'EVERLASTING   GOSPEL."  73 

On  the  far  off  plains  of  Bohemia,  among  the  rugged 
mountains  of  the  Tyrol,  by  Alpine  torrents  and  in  the  valleys 
of  Piedmont,  as  well  as  on  the  distant  shores  of  England 
and  Scotland,  its  words  were  carefully  read  and  pondered.  In 
size  it  was  -nearly  equal  to  the  New  Testament,  and  by  many 
of  the  humble  classes  it  was  reveared  as  its  equal  in  authority. 
Many  of  its  truths  were  conveyed  in  the  form  of  fable  or  par- 
able. Historians  generally  write  in  the  interest  of  some  sect  or 
party,  and  finding  in  it  little  to  natter  the  pride  or  vanity  of 
man,  have  frequently  passed  it  by  in  silence  or  have  given  it 
merely  a  passing  notice,  but  it  was  evidently  an  instrument  in 
the  hands  of  Grod  for  awakening  human  intellect. 

Meanwhile  the  boundaries  of  human  knowledge  were  greatly 
enlarged.  Chemistry  and  medicine  had  taken  their  places  as 
established  sciences.  Roger  Bacon,  who  was  born  A.  D.  1214, 
had  already  astonished  the  learned  by  his  experiments  and  dis- 
coveries in  optics,  mathematics  and  chemistry.  At  the  present 
time  it  is  almost  impossible  to  comprehend  the  difficulties  and 
perils  which  then  attended  every  step  in  experimental  science. 
For  example,  in  making  some  experiments  on  the  properties 
of  antimony,  or  stibium,  as  it  was  then  called,  it  was  found 
that  when  given  to  the  swine  in  their  food  it  increased  their 
fatness  with  surprising  rapidity.  But  when  it  was  adminis- 
tered to  some  half-starved  monks  the  poor  fellows  were  every 
one  killed.  Hence  the  modern  name  of  antimony,  from  anti, 
against,  and  moine,  a  monk.  It  may  also  be  added  that 
antimony,  whether  used  as  a  medicine  or  in  the  composition  of 
printer's  type  for  the  dissemination  of  truth  is  equally 
unhealthy  for  sectarian  bigots  of  every  description. 

Geographical  knowledge  had  also  been  greatly  extended. 
Adventurous  merchants  had  sailed  along  both  the  eastern  and 
western  shores  of  Africa  far  south  of  the  equator,  for  they 
discovered  stars  and  constellations  invisible  in  northern  lati- 
tudes. The  Azores  and  Canary  Islands  had  been  rediscovered 
after  a  lapse  of  more  than  a  thousand  years.  Portuguese 
sailors  had  already  made  voyages  to  far  off  Iceland,  the 
"Ullirna  Thule"  of  the  ancients.  With  the  exception  of 
north-eastern  Asia  and  southern  Africa,  the  entire  boundaries 
of  the  eastern  continent  were  known.  Marco  Polo,  in  the 

3* 


74  THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

interests  of  Venetian  commerce,  had  explored  the  vast  regions 
of  central  Asia,  and  Moorish  merchants  of  Tripoli,  by  means 
of  caravans,  had  trafficked  with  the  tribes  of  central  Africa. 

The  states  of  Europe  had  commenced  to  assume  their 
modern  forms ;  Portugal  had  become  independent  of  Spain 
about  A.  D.  1139;  Switzerland,  under  Eudolph  of  Hapsburg, 
became  a  distinct  nationality  in  A.  D.  1151;  Ireland  was  sub- 
jugated by  Henry  II. ,  of  England,  in  A.  D.  1172,  and  British 
constitutional  government  commenced  by  wresting  the  Magna 
Charta  from  King  John,  in  A.  D.  1215. 

In  fine  arts  we  find  that  Cimabue,  who  was  born  in  A.  D. 
1140,  and  his  pupil  Giotto,  who  was  born  in  A.  D.  1276, 
established  the  Italian  school  of  modern  painting. 

The  foregoing  will  indicate  to  some  extent  the  condition  of 
society  at  the  latter  end  of  the  thirteenth  century.  The  dark- 
ness of  night  had  commenced  to  vanish.  The  morning  star  of 
intelligence  had  arisen,  heralding  the  coming  of  a  peaceful 
day— 

"A  day  not  cloudless  or  devoid  of  storm, 
But  sunny  for  the  most  and  clear  and  warm.'* 


CHAPTER   VIII. 


THE     MORNING     OF      MODERN     TIMES. 

LESSON  FROM  HEATHEN  MYTHOLOGY  —  VICISSITUDES  OP 
ROMAN  CHURCH — BONIFACE  POPE— ADVANCEMENT  IN 
CIVILIZATION — WORK  OF  THE  ROMAN  CHURCH — INVEN- 
TION OF  PRINTING — GUTENBERG — BIBLE  FIRST  PRINTED 
— COLUMBUS — HIS  WONDERFUL  DREAM — HIS  GREAT  VOY- 
AGE—DISCOVERY OF  AMERICA — TRIALS  AND  TRIUMPHS. 

"It  breaks — it  comes — the  misty  shadows  fly : 

A  rosy  radiance  gleams  upon  the  sky ; 

The  mountain  tops  reflect  it  calm  and  clear, 

The  plain  is  yet  in  shade,  but  day  is  near."— Chas.  Mackay, 

THE  fifteenth  century  may  be  justly  considered  the  com- 
mencement of  modern  times ;    for  then  began  the  great 


LESSON  FROM  HEATHEN  MYTHOLOGY.         75 

revolution  in  science,  religion  and  general  knowledge,  which 
has  continued  until  the  present  time.  The  time-worn  colossus 
of  Rome  was  tottering  under  its  own  weight.  Great  princes 
filled  the  thrones  of  all  the  principal  countries  of  Europe. 
The  minds  of  men  seemed  awakening  as  from  a  sleep.  -A 
spirit  of  scientific  research  had  seized  the  learned,  and  a 
desire  cfor  knowledge  found  its  way  even  to  the  homes  of  the 
lowly. 

In  every  grade  of  society  a  new  life  was  in  motion.  "What 
an  age!"  exclaimed  Huetton,  the  religious  knight  of  Germany, 
"studies  flourish,  minds  are  awakening;  it  is  a  joy  merely  to 
be  alive!" 

The  history  of  those  times  cannot  be  correctly  told  by  a 
simple  recital  of  facts.  This  truth  should  ever  be  acknowledged, 
that  God  is  ever  present  on  that  vast  theatre  where  successive 
generations  of  men  meet  and  struggle.  It  is  true  He  is 
unseen ;  and  the  unthinking  multitude  may  pass  heedlessly  by. 
To  the  ignorant  crowd,  the  history  of  the  world  presents  a 
confused  chaos;  but  to  men  of  thought,  it  appears  as  a 
majestic  temple  on  which  the  invisible  hand  of  God  is  at  work. 

Modern  minds  might  learn  a  lesson  from  heathen  mythology. 
The  name  given  by  the  ancient  Greeks  to  the  Deity  shows 
that  they  had  received  some  primeval  revelation  of  this  great 
truth.  He  was  styled  Zeus,  or  the  life-giver  to  all  that  lives — 
to  nations  as  well  as  individuals.  From  his  inspirations  Minos 
and  other  legislators  professed  to  have  received  their  laws ;  and 
on  his  altars  kings  and  people  swore  their  solemn  oaths.  This 
great  truth  is  taught  by  one  of  the  most  beautiful  fables  of 
heathen  mythology. 

Thus  Zem,  the  life-giving  principle  is  the  father  of  Clio, 
the  muse  of  history,  whose  mother  is  Mnemosyne,  or  memory. 
History  then  is  the  memory  of  men's  acts  and  God's  provi- 
dences, and  combines  a  heavenly  with  an  earthly  nature.  She 
is  the  daughter  of  God  and  man;  but,  alas,  the  purblind 
philosophy  of  the  ninteenth  century  has  not  attained  to  the 
lofty  views  of  heathen  wisdom ! 

What  2f  startling  fact,  that  men  brought  up  amid  the 
glorious  light  of  the  present  age  should  deny  that  divine 


76  THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

intervention  in  human  affairs  which  even  the  very  heathens 
admitted ! 

The  beginning  of  the  fifteenth  century  finds  Boniface  IX. , 
on  the  pontifical  throne.  During  his  reign  the  papal  power 
culminated  and  began  to  decline. 

No  .empire  of  ancient  or  modern  times  has  experienced 
such  marvelous  and  varied  vicissitudes,  as  those  which  have 
befallen  the  empire  of  the  Roman  church.  Born  in  obscurity 
and  reared  in  adversity,  that  church  nevertheless  succeeded 
in  climbing  to  a  loftier  throne  and  grasping  the  scepter  of  a 
more  absolute  dominion  than  either  a  Xerxes  or  an  Alexander 
could  boast.  Pretending  to  despise  mere  worldly  gains,  she 
cunningly  turned  the  channels  of  riches  towards  herself,  %and 
emptied  them  without  scruple  into  her  own  coffers. 

When  Boniface  ascended  the  papal  throne,  the  authority  of 
Rome  was  apparently  greater  than  ever ;  but  in  reality  it  was 
much  undermined  by  the  advancing  labors  of  civilization. 

Society  had  made  a  great  advance  in  the  previous  eight 
hundred  years.  In  the  seventh  century,  a  cloud  of  more  than 
Egyptian  darkness  overshadowed  Europe.  Then  it  was  occu- 
pied by  wandering  savages  ;  now  it  was  organized  into  families, 
neighborhoods  and  cities.  The  seventh  century  left  it  full  of 
bondmen ;  the  fifteenth  found  it  without  a  slave.  Where  there 
had  been  trackless  forests  there  were  now  the  abodes  of 
civilized  men.  Instead  of  bloody  chieftains  drinking  out  of 
their  enemies'  skulls,  there  were  grave  professors  teaching  the 
laws  of  nature  and  the  principles  of  science. 

Nor  was  this  all.  Rome  herself  had  a  preparatory  work  to 
do,  and  had  she  confined  herself  to  that  work,  and  sought  not 
to  trammel  the  minds  of  men,  she  would  have  continued  a 
blessing  to  the  race.  Never  before  in  the  history  of  the  world 
was  there  such  a  system.  From  her  central  seat  she  could 
equally  take  in  a  hemisphere  at  a  glance  or  examine  the 
private  life  of  any  individual.  In  all  Europe  there  was  not  a 
man  too  great  or  too  obscure,  too  insignificant  or  too  desolate 
for  her.  Surrounded  by  her  solemnities  every  one  received 
his  name  at  her  altar ;  her  bells  chimed  at  his  marriage ;  and 
her  knell  tolled  at  his  funeral.  When  even  to  hisjriends  his 
lifeless  corpse  had  become  an  offense,  she  received  it  into  her 


GUTENBERG,    COLUMBUS   AND   LUTHER.  77 

consecrated  ground,  there  to  rest  until  the  great  reckoning 
day.  In  times  of  lawlessness  and  rapine,  she  sheltered  the 
helpless  from  the  tyrant,  and  made  her  sanctuaries  a  refuge 
for  the  despairing  and  oppressed,  But  like  all  man-made 
systems  of  religion,  she  failed  by  attempting  to  enforce  fixed 
laws  on  society  in  the  presence  of  higher  truths  and  advancing 
civilization. 

During  all  these  centuries  mankind  had  slowly  but  surely 
advanced  and  Abraham's  seed,  the  Jews  and  Saracens,  had 
been  the  leaders  of  that  progress.  Quietly  the  materials  had 
been  gathering  until  the  whole  continent  was  ripe  for  revolu- 
tion. 

Meanwhile  God  had  raised  up  instruments,  by  which  the 
commerce,  politics  and  religious  thought  of  Europe  were  com- 
pletely changed. 

In  A.  D.  1484,  there  were  living  in  various  parts  of  Europe 
three  persons  who  were  destined  to  set  in  motion  these  mighty 
movements.  These  were  Gutenberg,  Columbus  and  Luther. 
Around  these  men  cluster  many  notable  events ;  and  a  history 
of  their  lives  and  times  would  include  some  of  the  brightest 
pages  in  the  annals  of  our  race. 

Gutenberg  was  then  an  old  man  living  at  Mentz,  in  Ger- 
many. His  broad  shoulders,  well  knit  frame  and  strong  arms 
showed  that  he  was  acquainted  with  labor,  and  capable  of  great 
endurance.  His  broad  and  full  forehead  indicated  a  man  of 
reflective  mind  and  inventive  faculty.  His  keen,  full  grey  eye 
revealed  a  soul  full  of  earnestness,  intelligence  and  power.  He 
had  conferred  on  mankind  the  most  useful  invention,  since 
Cadmus,  nearly  three  thousand  years  ago,  taught  the  bar- 
barian Greeks  the  art  of  writing.  This  invention  was  the  art 
of  printing,  which  has  been  such  a  mighty  instrument  for  the 
transmission  of  thought,  and  the  civilization  of  the  world. 
The  Saracens  had  already  invented  the  art  of  making  paper 
from  linen  rags.  Previous  to  this,  parchment  was  the  only 
substance  well  adapted  for  writing  upon.  Paper-making  and 
printing  produced  great  changes  in  the  manufacture  of  books. 
By  the  one,  books  were  greatly  cheapened,  by  the  other,  greatly 
multiplied.  Thought  could  now  be  transmitted  cheaply  and 
swiftly  in  a  thousand  different  directions.  Priestcraft  saw  the 


78  THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

danger,  and,  terrified  lest  truth  should  emerge,  immediately 
attempted  to  control  and  restrain  the  press.  At  this  time  the 
art  of  printing  was  known  to  only  five  or  six  persons.  It  is 
curious  to  observe  that  even  war  was  the  means  of  quicken- 
ing the  growth  and  extension  of  this  wonderful  art.  In  1462, 
the  storming  of  Mentz  dispersed  Gutenberg  and  his  co-workers 
and  gave  the  secret  to  the  world.  In  A.  D.  1465,  it  appeared 
in  Italy;  in  1469,  in  France;  in  1474,  Caxton  brought  it  to 
England,  and  in  1477  it  was  introduced  in  Spain. 

Meanwhile  Pope  Alexander  VI. ,  excommunicated  all  printers 
not  licensed  by  him,  and  an  order  was  issued  to  burn  all  books 
not  recommended  by  the  papal  authorities.  But  these  frantic 
struggles  of  the  powers  of  darkness  were  unavailing.  Lovers 
of  books  were  gratified  by  seeing  them  multiplied  by  thousands. 
The  Bibe  was  printed  as  early  as  1454,  and  was  followed  shortly 
afterwards  by  other  important  books. 

The  power  of  the  press  continued  to  increase,  until  at  the 
present  time  it  is  without  doubt  the  most  powerful  aid  to 
modern  civilization. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  fifteenth  century  a  profound  igno- 
rance prevailed  concerning  the  western  regions  of  the  Atlantic. 
Its  vast  waters  were  regarded  with  awe  and  wonder;  and 
though  from  time  to  time,  pieces  of  carved  wood  and  other 
relics  of  Indian  skill  had  floated  to  the  shores  of  the  old  world, 
giving  to  its  wondering  inhabitants  evidences  of  land  beyond 
the  watery  horizon,  yet  no  one  ventured  to  spread  a  sail  and 
seek  that  land  veiled  in  mystery  and  peril. 

Columbus  was  the  first  who  had  the  inspiration  to  conceive 
and  the  heroic  courage  to  brave  the  mysteries  of  this  perilous 
deep.  He  unfolded  to  the  wandering  gaze  of  the  inhabitants 
of  Europe  a  new  hemisphere,  and  opened  it  to  their  spirit  of 
discovery  and  enterprise — opened  it  also,  alas,  to  their  cupi- 
dity and  cruelty ! 

Christopher  Columbus  was  born  in  the  city  Genoa,  about 
1447,  and  became  one  of  the  most  remarkable  men  of  any  land 
or  time.  Having  carefully  studied  the  sciences  of  geography 
and  astronomy  he  became  convinced  that  the  earth  was  not 
flat,  as  most  men  then  believed,  but  was  really  a  vast  globe  or 
ball.  He  perceived  that  when  the  moon  was  eclipsed,  the 


COLUMBUS.  79 

shadow  which  the  earth  cast  upon  the  moon  was  round ;  and 
he  reasoned  that  as  the  shadow  was  round,  the  object  that 
made  that  shadow  must  be  round  also. 

He  visited  the  great  Saracen  schools  in  Spain,  and  there 
received  additional  proof  of  this  truth.  Spain,  was  then  a 
great  maritime  nation,  and  there  he  conversed  with  great  sea- 
captains  whose  voyages  were  already  attracting  the  attention 
of  the  learned.  He  himself  also  made  a  voyage  to  far  off 
Iceland,  and  possibly  to  Greenland,  to  which  country  the  pope 
had  already  sent'a  bishop  and  several  missionaries. 


CHRISTOPHER  COLUMBUS. 

In  A.  D.  1485,  when  Columbus  was  about  thirty-eight  years 
of  age  he  made  his  first  application  to  the  king  of  Portugal 
for  aid  in  his  great  scheme  of  maritime  discovery,  but  without 
success.  He  then  successively  applied  to  Spain,  Genoa,  Ven- 
ice and  England. 

But  the  monarchs  of  Europe  were  under  the  control  of  Rome, 
and  therefore  too  busy  in  aiding  her  religious  persecutions  to 
listen  to  the  appeals  of  science. 

Indeed  in  the  very  year  in  which  Columbus  made  his  first 
application,  the  Inquisition  put  to  death  nearly  seventeen 
thousand  persons,  besides  imprisoning  thirty- two  thousand 


80  THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

more.  Nor  was  this  ail,  ninety- two  thousond  Jews  had  suffered 
confiscation  of  their  property,  and  had  been  given  the  unenvi- 
able choice  of  death,  banishment  or  perpetual  slavery.  And 
the  Saracens,  who  had  dwelt  in  Spain  for  more  than  seven 
hundred  years,  or  nearly  twice  as  long  a  time  as  has  elapsed 
since  the  discovery  of  America,  were  expelled  from  the  lands 
which  they  had  so  long  cultivated  and  beautified,  and  from 
their  cities  which  had  so  long  led  the  world  in  the  arts,  sciences 
and  general  civilization. 

One  evening  in  the  autumn  of  A.  D.  1485,  a  man  of  majestic 
appearance,  pale,  care-worn,  and  though  in  the  meridian  of 
life,  with  silver  hair,  leading  a  little  boy  by  the  hand,  asked 
alms  at  the  gate  of  a  Franciscan  convent  near  Polos— not  for 
himself,  but  only  a  little  bread  and  water  for  his  child.  That 
man  was  Columbus,  destined  to  startle  the  inhabitants  of 
Europe  with  the  discovery  of  a  new  continent.  But  he  was 
obliged  to  wait  until  he  could  take  advantage  of  the  commercial 
rivalry  of  Spain  and  Portugal. 

The  trade  of  Eastern  Asia  had  always  been  a  source  of 
immense  wealth  to  the  nations  that  had  controlled  it.  For  more 
than  a  thousand  years  Venice  had  held  the  keys  to  that  com- 
merce. As  discoveries  extended,  other  nations  perceived  the 
possibility  of  opening  new  routes  to  the  East  and  thus  rivaling 
the  commercial  greatness  of  Venice.  One  of  these  plans  was 
to  sail  around  the  southern  end  of  Africa,  the  other  to  sail 
directly  westward  across  the  Atlantic.  It  was  plain  to  every 
thinking  person  that  if  India  could  be  reached  by  sailing  west- 
ward, maritime  power  would  pass  from  the  Mediterranean 
countries  to  those  upon  the  Atlantic  coast. 

About  this  time  Columbus  had  a  wonderful  dream,  or  vision. 
An  unknown  voice  spoke  to  him,  and  said:  "God  will  cause 
thy  name  to  be  wonderfully  resounded  throughout  the  earth; 
and  will  give  thee  the  keys  to  the  ocean  which  are  held  with 
strong  chains."  From  this  time  forward,  Columbus  looked 
upon  himself  as  chosen  from  among  men  to  accomplish  the  pur- 
poses of  heaven ;  to  bring  the  ends  of  the  earth  together,  that 
all  nations,  and  peoples,  and  tongues  might  be  united  under 
the  banner  of  the  Redeemer. 


COLUMBUS   STARTS   ON  HIS  VOYAGE.  81 

Isabella  and  Ferdinand  were  then  joint  king  and  queen  of 
Spain.  Meanwhile,  Columbus  had  gained  many  influential 
friends,  among  whom  was  a  Jewish  sea-faring  family  named 
Pinzon,  and  Luis  de  Santangel  the  spiritual  adviser  of  Queen 
Isabella. 

At  this  time  Columbus  seemed  more  likely  to  fall  into  the 
hands  of  the  Inquisition  and  suffer  for  his  heresy  than  to 
succeed  in  his  great  enterprise. 

At  this  juncture  Luis  de  Santangel  obtained  audience  with 
the  queen,  and  addressed  her  with  all  the  energy  of  a  man  who 
speaks  for  the  last  time  in  behalf  of  a  favored  project.  Isabella 
listened  attentively,  hesitated  a  moment  and  then  pledged  her 
jewels  to  raise  the  amount  necessary  for  the  expedition.  Con- 
temporary writers  have  been  enthusiastic  in  their  descriptions 
of  Isabella ;  but  time  has  sanctioned  their  eulogies.  She  is  one 
of  the  purest  and  most  beautiful  characters  on  the  pages 
of  history. 

At  length,  on  the  17th  of  April,  A.  D.  1492,  Columbus  was 
ushered  into  the  royal  presence,  and  received  his  commission. 
Immediately  he  commenced  preparations,  and  on  the  3rd  of 
August,  1492,  set  sail  on  his  ever-memorable  voyage.  The 
expedition  consisted  of  three  small  vessels:  the  Santa  Maria, 
commanded  by  Columbus;  the  Pinta,  by  Martin  Alonzo 
Pinzon;  and  the  Nina,  by  Vincent  Yanez  Pinzon.  "The 
Pinzons  were  doubly  interested  in  this  voyage,  for  while  they 
sought  for  a  new  and  profitable  route  of  commerce,  they  doubt- 
less also  felt  a  desire  to  find  an  asylum  for  their  persecuted 
Jewish  brethren."  (See  Lovel's  American  History,  Canadian 
edition. ) 

Having  touched  at  the  Canary  Islands  they  sailed  directly 
westward.  On  losing  sight  of  the  last  trace  of  land  the 
hearts  of  the  crews  failed  them.  Behind  them  was  every- 
thing dear  to  the  heart  of  man:  country,  family,  friends, 
life  itself;  before  them  everything  was  chaos,  mystery  and 
peril. 

Columbus  tried  in  every  way  to  soothe  their  distress  and 
inspire  them  with  his  own  glorious  anticipations.  He  described 
to  them  the  magnificent  countries  to  which  he  was  about  to 
conduct  them :  the  islands  of  the  Indian  seas,  teeming  with 


82 


THE   HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 


gold  and  precious  stones ;  the  regions  of  Mangi  and  Cathay 
with  their  cities  of  unrivalled  wealth  and  splendor.  Nor  were 
these  promises  made  for  purposes  of  deception.  Columbus 
evidently  believed  that  he  would  realize  them  all. 

For  many  days  they  were  gently  but  speedily  wafted  over  a 
tranquil  sea,  but  when  near  the  middle  of  the  Atlantic,  they, 
for  the  first  time,  observed  the  variation  of  the  needle  of  the 
compass,  which  no  longer  pointed  directly  north,  but  had 
veered  around  and  pointed  in  a  somewhat  different  direction. 


SHIPS   OF   COLUMBUS. 

Columbus  was  greatly  perplexed  yet  dared  not  communicate 
his  thoughts  to  anyone.  It  seemed  as  if  the  very  laws  of  nature 
were  changing,  as  they  advanced,  and  they  were  entering 
another  world  subject  to  unknown  influences;  that  the  compass 
was  about  to  lose  its  mysterious  virtue,  and  without  that  guide 
what  was  to  become  of  them  on  a  vast  and  trackless  ocean  ? 
Columbus  gave  an  explanation  of  this  phenomenon  which  satis- 
fied the  crew  though  unsatisfactory  to  himself.  His  situation 
was  daily  becoming  more  critical  in  proportion  as  they 


CREW  BECOME  MUTINOUS. 


83 


approached  the  regions  where  he  expected  to  find  land.  At 
length,  on  the  9th  of  October,  the  crew  broke  out  in  open 
mutiny  and  threatened  to  throw  him  overboard,  designing  then 


to  return  to  Spain.  A  compromise  was  effected,  that  if  they 
would  continue  to  sail  westward  three  days  longer,  and  no  land 
was  discovered  he  would  then  return.  Two  days  passed  away 
and  still  no  sight  of  land. 


84  THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

On  the  evening  of  the  second  day,  Columbus  remained  on 
deck.  What  were  the  feelings  that  pervaded  his  breast  no  one 
but  God  can  tell ;  with  nothing  but  the  heaving  ocean  beneath 
him  and  the  silent  stars  o'er  head.  Anxiously  he  stands  upon 
the  prow  of  his  vessel  and  peers  into  the  darkness.  It  is  one 
o'clock  !  Suddenly  a  gleam  as  of  a  torch  is  seen  in  the  horizon ! 
Is  it  a  flash  of  phosphoric  light  as  is  sometimes  seen  on  the 
surface  of  these  tropical  seas,  or  is  it  a  blaze  of  fire  indicating 
the  habitations  of  men  ? 

Soon  the  joyful  cry  of  "Ho!  land,  ho ! "  resounded  throughout 
the  ship,  and  the  booming  of  cannon  announced  the  discovery 
to  the  other  vessels. 

When  the  dawning  of  the  morning  came,  they  beheld  in  all 
their  grandeur  and  beauty,  the  hills  and  vallej^s,  streams  and 
forests  of  a  new  world.  The  men  who  had  been  so  lately 
mutinous  now  came  forward  and  bowed  down  before  Columbus, 
and  did  homage  to  him  as  though  he  were  a  god. 

Trials  before  triumphs  have  ever  been  the  lot  of  self-taught 
men,  and  will  be  to  the  end  of  time.  If  the  chosen  heroes  of 
this  earth  were  counted  over,  they  would  be  found  to  be  men 
who  stood  alone  and  labored  and  waited;  while  those  for 
whom  they  agonized  and  toiled  poured  upon  them  contumely 
and  scorn. 

The  very  martyrs  of  the  past  who  were  hooted  at,  reviled 
and  spit  upon  by  the  mob,  are  the  ones  who  are  honored  now. 
They  suffered  cruel  tortures  and  burnings ;  to-day,  the  children 
of  this  generation  are  gathering  up  their  scattered  ashes  to 
deposit  them  in  the  golden  urn  of  a  nation's  history. 


HISTORY  IN  WORDS.  85 


CHAPTER    IX. 


INFLUENCE       OF      ISRAEL— DISCOVERERS 
AND    REFORMERS. 


HISTORY  IN  WORDS — BRITISH  COAT  OF  ARMS — THE  TEN 
TRIBES— ACCOUNT  OF  ESDRAS — DISPERSION  OF  THE 
TRIBES — MIXED  SEED  OF  ISRAEL — EFFECT  ON  EUROPEAN 
SOCIETY — JEWISH  INFLUENCE — DISCOVERY  OF  CAPE  OF 
GOOD  HOPE— PACIFIC  OCEAN  DISCOVERED — MAGELLAN'S 
VOYAGE— DISCOVERS  CAPE  HORN — DISTANCE  SAILED — 
DEATH  OF  MAGELLEN — VOYAGE  COMPLETED — ITS  EFFECT 
ON  THE  PUBLIC — HUSS  AND  JEROME  BURNED — JOHN 
ZISKA — PERSECUTIONS  OF  WALDENSES— CAPTURE  OF 
MEN1Z — DISPERSION  OF  PRINTERS— HANS  BOHEIM — JOSS 
FRITZ — SALE  OF  INDULGENCES — MARTIN  LUTHERBURNS 
THE  POPE'S  LETTER — GRAND  COUNCIL  AT  WORMS — 
ROME  IN  A  RAGE — LUTHER  KIDNAPPED. 

ONE  of  the  most  pleasing  and  at  the  same  time  instructive 
amusements  in  which  a  thoughtful  mind  can  engage,  is 
to  trace  the  derivation  of  certain  words  of  our  language  to  the 
primitive  times  and  people  where  they  originated,  and  thus 
learn  the  social  and  mental  condition  of  the  people  who  first 
used  them.  It  is  pleasing  to  know  that  dish  and  mop,  mat 
and  rug,  and  other  household  terms  are  the  very  words  that 
were  spoken  by  the  women  of  ancient  Britian,  two  thousand 
years  ago,  and  have  been  handed  down  from  generation  to 
generation,  with  little  or  no  variation.  In  like  manner  the 
words  ax,  plow,  house,  post,  bed^  fire,  and  hundreds  of  others, 
can  be  easily  discerned  under  the  old  Saxon  forms.  And  as 
these  words  are  precisely  those  that  would  be  used  by  a  rude  or 
half-civilized  people,  while  those  words  that  refer  to  a  more 
advanced  state  of  society  cannot  be  traced  to  our  Saxon 
ancestors  we  may  correctly  infer  the  extent  of  their  knowledge 


86  THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

and  social  condition.  Further,  as  the  ancient  British  words 
refer  to  domestic  affairs  while  those  of  Saxon  origin  refer 
exclusively  to  the  avocations  of  man,  we  can  easily  perceive 
that  the  Anglo-Saxon  tongue  has  originated  from  the 
marriage  of  the  ancient  British  women  with  their  Saxon  con- 
querors. 

Hence  Max  Mailer,  the  learned  professor  of  languages,  in 
the  university  at  Oxford,  England,  very  justly  remarks  that 
"by  means  of  philology  we  have  a  more  accurate  record  of  our 
race  than  any  narrative  written  by  prejudice  or  ill-informed 
historians." 

Now  it  is  generally  admitted  that  Germans,  Anglo-Saxons 
and  men  descended  from  these  nationalities,  in  one  word, 
German  thought,  led  the  van  of  progress  in  science,  literature 
and  religious  thought,  during  the  fourteenth,  fifteenth  and 
sixteenth  centuries,  and  in  fact  has  continued  to  do  so  up  to 
the  present  time. 

From  the  fifth  century,  when  Attila,  king  of  the  Huns, 
declared  himself  "The  scourge  of  God,"  wave  after  wave  of 
conquest  by  these  hardy  warriors  had  swept  over  the  hills  and 
plains  of  western  and  southern  Europe,  until  their  blood  and 
their  love  of  civil  and  religious  liberty  were  infused  into  every 
European  nation. 

Now  the  language  of  the  Goths,  or  ancient  Germans,  plainly 
indicates  that  they  were  not  the  primitive  people  of  Europe, 
but  had  conquered  and  intermingled  with  them  in  the  same 
manner  as  the  Saxons  conquered  and  intermingled  with  the 
inhabitants  of  ancient  Britain,  or  the  Spaniards  with  those  of 
Mexico. 

But  it  may  be  asked,  whence  came  they?  In  this  connec- 
tion two  other  questions  may  also  be  asked:  why  is  it  that  the 
German  language  contains  so  many  idioms  and  terms  that 
bear  a  close  relationship  to  the  language  of  the  ancient 
Hebrews  and  Chaldeans?  (See  Max  Mutter's  lectures  on  lan- 
guage.} And  why  is  it  that  the  lion,  which  was  the  emblem 
of  Judah,  and  the  unicorn,  which  was  the  emblem  of  Israel, 
are  in  modern  times,  emblazoned  on  the  coat  of  arms  of 
England?  (See  Ant.  of  Jewsby  Joseplms^  also  Nam.  xxiu.,22 
and  Deut.  xxxiii,  17. )  These  questions  are  worthy  of  deep  and 


ACCOUNT  OF    ESDRAS.  87 

careful  consideration ;  and  to  better  understand  them  it  will  be 
necessary  to  briefly  trace  the  history  of  the  children  of 
Israel. 

As  is  well  known,  after  the  death  of  Solomon  the  kingdom 
was  divided  into  two  parts,  known  as  the  kingdom  of  Judah 
and  the  kingdom  of  Israel.  In  730  B.  C.,  Hashem,  king  of 
Israel,  became  tributary  to  Shalmaneser,  king  of  Assyria. 
Nine  years  later  his  capital  was  taken  and  the  greater  portion 
of  the  people  were  carried  away  captive  beyond  the  river 
Euphrates,  and  people  from  other  countries  were  put  in  posses- 
sion of  their  inheritance.  In  the  Apocrapha  the  Prophet 
Esdras  states  that  these  ten  tribes  went  a  journey  of  a  year 
and  a  half  into  the  north  country.  He  says:  "These  are  the 
ten  tribes  which  were  carried  away  prisoners  out  of  their  own 
land  in  the  time  of  Hosea  the  king,  whom  Shalmaneser  the 
king  of  Assyria  led  away  captive;  and  he  carried  them  over 
the  waters  so  they  came  into  another  land.  But  they  took 
this  council  among  themselves,  that  they  would  leave  the 
multitude  of  the  heathen  and  go  forth  into  a  farther  country 
where  never  mankind  dwelt,  that  they  might  there  keep  their 
statutes  which  they  never  kept  in  their  own  land.  For  through 
that  country  there  was  a  great  way  to  go,  namely,  in  a  year 
and  a  hall's  journey,  and  the  same  region  is  called  Arsareth." 
(//.  Esdras,  xiii,  40,  41,  42  and  45.) 

Now  by  looking  on  a  map  of  the  eastern  continent  it  will  be 
seen  at  once  that  the  Black  Sea  and  the  Caucasus  mountains 
lie  directly  north  of  the  river  Euphrates.  It  is  quite  possible 
that  the  Black  Sea  is  the  "waters"  to  which  Esdras  refers. 
Also  Josephus,  in  speaking  of  the  return  of  the  Jews  under 
Esdras,  says,  "Many  of  them  took  their  effects  with  them  and 
came  to  Babylon,  as  very  desirous  of  going  down  to  Jerusalem, 
but  then  the  entire  body  of  the  people  of  Israel  remained  in 
that  country,  wherefore  there  are  but  two  tribes  in  Asia  and 
Europe  subject  to  the  Romans,  while  the  ten  tribes  are  beyond 
the  Euphrates  till  now,  and  are  an  immense  multitude  and  not 
to  be  estimated  by  numbers."  (Ant.  Book  II.  diopter  5.) 

Perhaps  the  words  of  the  ancient  Roman  are  not  altogether 
fable  when  he  says  that  "Beyond  the  Borean  (Caucasus)  Moun- 
tains live  a  people  who  are  sublime  in  their  virtue  since  they 


88  THE   HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

dwell  very  distant  form  the  provinces,  in  great  simplicity  and 
give  great  heed  to  the  oracles  which  their  gods  have  given  unto 
them."  Thus  we  have  not  only  the  sure  word  of  prophecy, 
but  likewise  the  admission  of  heathen  writers. 

Max  Muller,  in  his  work  on  language,  in  referring  to  the 
migrations  of  ancient  European  tribes,  says,  "Two  great  routes 
lay  before  them,  one  by  way  of  the  valleys  of  the  Don  and 
Volga  across  modern  Russia  to  the  shores  of  the  Baltic,  the 
other  along  the  shores  of  the  Black  Sea  to  the  valley  of  the 
Danube." 

He  also  demonstrates  the  close  relationship  that  exists 
between  the  Hebrew  language  and  the  language  of  the  people 
of'  Finland  in  western  Russia.  Considering  that  more  than 
twenty-five  centuries  have  rolled  by  since  the  dispersion  of 
Israel,  sufficient  time  has  elapsed  for  mighty  changes.  Muller 
adds  in  another  place,  uThe  time  was  when  the  ancestors  of 
the  Indians,  the  Fins,  the  Slavonic  and  German  tribes  of  cen- 
tral Europe  and  the  modern  English  lived  in  one  enclosure, 
nay,  under  the  same  roof." 

In  the  latter  part  of  the  second  century  or  beginning  of  the 
third,  these  new  settlers  had  spread  as  far  westward  as  the 
Danube,  and  settled  in  the  Roman  province  of  Dacia,  which 
lay  on  the  north  bank  of  that  river.  They  also  asked  permis- 
sion to  cross  the  river  which  was  granted  under  certain  stipula- 
tions. 

Still  they  continued  to  increase  in  numbers,  and  by  inter- 
marriage with  the  native  tribes  had  in  the  fifth  century  become 
formidable  enemies  of  Rome  and  under  the  name  of  Dacians, 
Huns,  Vandajs,  Ostrogoths,  Visigoths,  Suevi  and  Heruli 
precipitated  themselves  upon  Italy  and  wreaked  a  terrible 
vengeance. 

The  history  of  some  of  these,  as  the  Huns  for  example,  may 
be  traced  to  the  second  century  before  the  Christian  era  and  to 
the  very  locality  indicated  by  the  Prophet  Esdras  and  by  Jose- 
phus.  For  over  twenty-six  centuries  these  scattered  tribes 
have  continued  to  mix  up  with  the  nations  of  the  earth,  but 
in  their  long  migrations  westward  they  have  lost  many  of  their 
distinctive  characteristics. 


PACIFIC   OCEAN   DISCOVERED.  S9 

Doubtless  it  is  from  this  mixed  seed  of  Israel  that  many,  aye 
nearly  all,  the  great  reformers,  inventors  and  discoverers  have 
sprung.  This  infusion  of  new  blood  had  a  marked  effect  on 
the  nations  of  western  Europe,  but  more  especially  on  Italy, 
which  had  continued  to  decline,  from  the  days  of  Augustus, 
until  these  nations  mingled  with  the  degenerate  ancient  race, 
and  infused  new  life  into  her  decaying  civilization.  The  result 
was  that  a  succession  of  poets,  painters,  sculptors,  philoso- 
phers, inventors  and  discoverers  sprung  up  in  Italy  and  western 
Europe  unparalleled  in  the  history  of  the  world.  Above  all, 
the  invention  of  printing  had  just  come  in  time  to  spread 
whatever  new  ideas  were  afloat,  with  a  rapidity  never  known 
before.  In  fifty- two  years  from  the  time  of  that  invention 
came  the  discovery  of  America.  Five  years  later  two  Jewish 
priests,  Rabbi  Abraham,  and  Rabbi  Joseph,  brought  to  King 
John  II..  of  Portugal,  a  Saracen  map  of  the  entire  coast  of 
Africa. 

Thus  instructed  King  John  sent  out  several  expeditions  in 
one  of  which  Brazil  was  accidentally  discovered.  Aided  by 
this,  Vasco  de  Gama  set  sail,  and  on  Nov.  20th,  1497,  rounded 
the  cape  of  Good  Hope.  Sixteen  years  later  Balboa  discovered 
the  Pacific  Ocean,  and  six  years  still  later,  or  in  A.  D.  1519, 
Magellan  set  out  on  his  memorable  voyage  to  circumnavigate 
the  world. 

The  story  of  that  voyage  of  wild  adventure  seems  never  to 
grow  old  by  repeating.  The  narrative  of  that  voyage  is  too 
long  for  this  brief  sketch,  but  a  few  items  may  not  be  out  of 
place. 

After  many  months  of  sailing  in  strange  seas,  he  at  length 
discovered  a  new  land  to  which  he  gave  the  name  of  Patagonia, 
Here  he  found  giants  clad  in  skins,  one  of  whom  was  greatly 
terrified  at  seeing  his  own  image  in  a  looking-glass. 

His  perseverance  was  at  last  rewarded,  and  after  fifteen 
months  of  struggling  and  adventures  he  discovered  Cape 
Horn,  passed  through  the  strait  which  now  bears  his  name 
and  entered  the  Great  South  Sea,  on  Nov.  28th,  1520.  An 
eye-witness  relates  that  he  shed  tears  of  joy  when  he  recognized 
its  great  expanse,  and  that  God  had  brought  him  where  he 
might  grapple  with  its  unknown  dangers.  Admiring  its  placid 


90 


THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 


illllliinHlHlIl!  Illillllillllllllllllilllllp*''' 


DEATH  OF  MAGELLAN.  91 

surface  he  courteously  gave  it  the  name  it  will  ever  bear,  the 
"Pacific  Ocean."  Magellan  was  the  first  European  to  discover 
that  when  the  nights  are  long  in  the  northern  hemisphere  they 
are  correspondingly  short  in  the  southern.  When  he  passed 
through  the  straits  the  nights  were  only  four  hours  long.  t  At 
the  same  time  in  Spain  they  were  nearly  fifteen  hours  long. 
And  now  the  great  sailor  having  burst  through  the  barrier  of 
the  great  American  continent  steered  for  the  north-west.  For 
three  months  and  fifteen  days  he  sailed  on  and  on,  but  saw  no 
inhabited  land. 

He  and  his  crew  were  compelled  by  famine  to  soak  old  leather 
in  the  sea,  then  boil  it  and  make  of  it  a  wretched  food ;  and  to 
drink  water  that  had  become  putrid  by  keeping;  yet  he 
resolutely  held  his  course,  though  his  men  were  dying  daily. 
He  estimated  that  he  sailed  over  this  unknown  sea  more  than 
twelve  thousand  miles. 

In  the  whole  history  of  human  undertakings  there  is  nothing 
that  exceeds,  if  indeed  there  is  anything  that  equals,  this 
voyage  of  Magellan.  That  of  Columbus  dwindles  away  in 
comparison.  It  is  a  display  of  super-human  courage  and  per- 
severance, an  exhibition  of  heroic  resolution,  not  to  be  diverted 
from  its  purpose  by  any  motive,  or  any  suffering,  but  inflexibly 
persisting  to  its  end. 

This  unparalleled  resolution  met  its  reward  at  last.  He 
reached  the  Ladrones,  a  group  of  islands  north  of  the  equator. 
Thence  he  sailed  to  the  Spice  Islands,  where  he  met  with 
European  merchants.  He  had  accomplished  his  object  and 
proven  that  the  earth  was  round.  At  an  island  called  Zebu, 
or  Mutan,  he  was  murdered  either  by  the  natives  or  by  his  own 
men.  In  a  few  days  more  his  crew  learned  that  they  were 
actually  in  the  vicinity  of  their  friends.  On  the  morning  of 
Nov.  8th,  1521,  they  entered  Tidore,  the  capital  of  the  Spice 
Islands,  and  the  king  swore  upon  the  Koran  alliance  to  the 
sovereign  of  Spain. 

Magellan's  crew  continued  their  voyage  amid  hardships  and 
perils,  and  .at  length,  on  Sept.  10th,  1522,  the  good  ship,  San 
Vittoria,  sailed  into  the  very  port  from  which  she  had  departed 
just  three  years  and  twenty-seven  days  before.  She  had 
accomplished  the  greatest  achievement  in  the  history  of  the 


92  THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

human  race.  She  had  circumnavigated  the  earth.  Magellan 
lost  his  life  in  his  great  enterprise,  but  he  made  his  name 
immortal.  His  lieutenant  Sebastian  d'Elcano  received  the 
proudest  and  noblest  medal  ever  given  to  a  sailor.  It  was  a 
golden  globe  belted  with  this  inscription,  Primus  circumdedisti 
me — "Thou  hast  first  circumnavigated  me." 

At  the  present  time  it  is  almost  impossible  to  conceive  the 
effect  of  Magellan's  voyage  had  upon  the  public  mind.  One 
of  the  leading  dogmas  of  Rome  had  been  that  the  earth  was 
flat.  Now  it  was  proved  that  the  earth  was  indeed  a  vast  ball. 
If  Rome  had  been  in  error  in  this  case,  where  was  her  infalli- 
bility? Might  not  some  of  her  other  teachings  be  equally 
false?  Many  leading  minds  began  to  doubt  her  authority. 
Even  Pope  Leo  X. ,  is  said  to  have  become  skeptical.  At  all 
events  he  chose  to  spend  his  leisure  time  in  his  library  reading 
to  his  sister  out  of  the  beautiful  new  printed  books  which  were 
then  throwing  a  flood  of  intellectual  light  on  all  grades  of 
society.  The  philosophy  of  Aristotle  and  Plato,  the  poems  of 
Homer  and  Virgil,  the  sciences  of  the  Saracens  and  the  narra- 
tives of  the  adventures  of  Columbus  and  Vasco  de  Gama  had 
more  charms  for  him  than  burning  and  torturing  heretics  as  his 
predecessors  had  done. 

While  science  was  undermining  the  influence  of  Rome  in  one 
direction,  religious  thought  was  busy  at  work  in  another.  That 
great  religious  revolution  commonly  called  the  Reformation 
had  long  been  gathering  its  forces ;  and  already  sounded  from 
behind  the  Alps  the  loud  clarion  of  battle. 

The  memory  of  John  Huss  arid  Jerome  of  Prague  was  still 
fresh  in  the  minds  of  the  populace.  Huss  had  been  burned 
at  Constance,  in  A.  D.  1415,  and  Jerome  the  year  following. 
When  the  news  of  these  barbarous  executions  reached  Bohe- 
mia, it  threw  the  whole  kingdom  into  confusion  and  a  civil  war 
was  kindled  from  the  ashes  of  the  martyrs. 

John  Ziska,  the  leader  of  the  populace,  collected  an  army  of 
forty  thousand  men  and  defeated  the  emperor,  Si§ismund,  in 
several  battles.  When  Ziska  found  that  he  was  dying,  he  gave 
orders  that  his  skin  should  be  made  into  a  drum  which  was  long 
the  symbol  of  victory  to  his  followers. 


CRUEL  TREATMENT  OF  WALDENSES. 


93 


The  Waldenses  also  who  dwelt  in  the  valleys  of  Switzerland 
and  Piedmont  had  lively  memories  of  cruel  wrongs.     Their 


ancestors  had  been  destroyed  by  Pope  Innocent  III. ,  and  as 
late  as  A.  D.  1487,  they  had  been  driven  to  the  mountains  and 
obliged  to  wander  there  until  their  feeble  and  little  ones  were 


94  THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

left  buried  in  the  Alpine  snows.     No  wonder  they  chanted^that 

grand  old  hymn,  commencing : 

"O  God,  arise,  avenge  Thy  slaughtered  Saints, 

Whose  bones  lie  bleaching  on  the  Alpine  mountains  cold." 

The  writings  of  Dante  and  Petrarch,  Reuchlin  and  Erasmus, 
were  already  scattered  in  every  direction,  by  means  of  the 
printing  press,  and  wielded  a  mighty  influence  in  society. 

The  siege  and  capture  of  Mentz,  in  A.  D.  1462,  had  the 
effect  of  scattering  Guttenberg  and  his  co-workers.  Printing 
presses  were  established  immediately  afterwards  in  Italy,  Spain, 
Portugal,  Holland,  France  and  England. 

In  1476,  on  the  banks  of  the  river  Maine,  in  central  Ger- 
many had  appeared  a  strange  character  named  Hans  Boheim. 
He  professed  to  be  a  prophet  of  God,  to  have  received  visions, 
and  to  have  been  sent  to  proclaim  that  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
was  at  hand.  More  than  forty  thousand  men  flocked  to  his 
standard.  At  length  the  bishops  of  Mentz  and  Wurtzburg 
interfered,  dispersed  the  crowd  and  burned  the  prophet.  He 
was  but  a  sign  of  the  times — "a  voice  crying  in  the  wilder- 
ness." His  memory  was  not  forgotten.  In  1493,  another 
movement  took  place,  and  again  in  1501.  Maximilian,  the 
emperor  of  German}^  ordered  the  leaders  to  be  quartered 
alive  and  their  wives  and  children  to  be  banished.  But  the 
fire  was  only  slumbering.  In  1512,  it  commenced  again  on  a 
larger  scale.  It  found  a  leader  in  Joss  Fritz,  a  soldier  of  com- 
manding presence  and  great  natural  eloquence,  used  to  battle 
and  above  all  to  patience.  He  was  one  of  those  who  had 
escaped  being  quartered.  His  banner  was  blue  silk  with  a 
white  cross,  and  underneath  the  motto,  "0  Lord,  help  the 
righteous."  Fritz  was  the  William  Tell  of  his  times.  No 
wonder  his  name  is  a  favorite  one  among  the  Germans. 

These  conflicts,  commonly  known  as  the  "Wars  of  the 
Peasants,"  had  shown  the  masses  that  with  more  union  and 
better  information  they  were  the  real  strength  of  the  nation. 

Such  was  the  condition  of  affairs  in  the  very  locality  where, 
four  years  afterwards,  burst  forth  the  great  religious  revolution 
known  as  the  Reformation. 

Society  seemed  waiting  for  a  coming  man  of  strong  will  and 
fervent  religious  nature,  who  should  give  something  of  organ- 


MARTIN    LUTHER.  95 

ization  to  those  movements,  arid  gather  around  him  an  irresist- 
able  phalanx  of  the  noble,  the  learned  and  ardent  spirits  of 
the  age.  This  man  was  Martin  Luther.  He  came  from  his 
cell  a  shaven  monk,  in  his  hand  no  sceptre,  on  his  head  no 
crown.  But  he  had  a  human  heart  within  him ;  and  it  gushed 
out  for  human  woe. 

Strong  in  the  principles  of  right  he  hurled  the  firebrands  of 
truth  right  and  left  and  kindled  such  a  flame  that  all  the  waves 
of  error  could  never  quench  it. 

The  immediate  cause  of  the  Reformation  was  when  John 
Tetzel,  in  1574,  was  sent  into  Germany  to  sell  indulgences. 

The  church  of  Rome  had  long  taught  the  people  that  the 
pope  and  clergy  under  him  held  the  keys  of  heaven.  At  this 
time  the  pope  was  in  need  of  means  to  complete  that  great 
cathedral  called  St.  Peter's  Church.  He  therefore  issued 
indulgences  or  pardons  for  all  kinds  of  sins.  These  pardons  or 
indulgences  entitled  whoever  bought  them  to  a  free  passport 
to  heaven.  Nor  was  this  all.  A  man  of  sufficient  wealth 
could  purchase  the  pardon  of  a  sin  he  intended  to  commit. 
Thus  the  civil  law  was  shorn  of  its  power  and  the  nation  of  its 
wealth. 

This  bold  blasphemy  provoked  the  indignation  of  a  people 
already  ripe  for  revolution. 

Luther,  then  thirty-four  years  of  age,  began  to  denounce 
the  sale  of  these  indulgences.  In  1520,  the  pope  issued  a 
decree,  or  bull,  as  it  was  called,  condemning  Luther  and  his 
writings.  Luther  in  turn  defied  the  pope.  When  the  news 
reached  him  he  took  the  decree  and  all  the  Roman  books  he 
could  find,  and  on  December  10,  1520,  burned  them  in  a  public 
place  just  outside  the  walls  of  the  city  of  Wittenberg.  Then 
Luther  was  summoned  to  appear  before  a  grand  council,  or 
court,  to  be  held  in  the  city  of  Worms.  His  friends  procured 
him  a  passport  or  pledge  of  security,  lest  the  papal  authorities 
should  take  his  life. 

Accordingly,  on  the  17th  of  April,  1521,  Luther  appeared 
before  the  council,  or  diet,  as  it  was  called.  The  Emperor 
Charles  V.,  of  Germany,  presided  in  person.  When  Luther 
was  asked  to  recant  his  opinions  and  deny  his  own  teachings, 
he  not  only  refused  to  do  so  but  also  pleaded  his  own  cause 


95  THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

with  eloquence  and  power.  So  powerful  were  his  arguments 
that  many  of  the  nobility  were  won  over  to  his  side.  A  poor 
monk,  the  son  of  a  simple  peasant,  clad  in  the  armor  of  truth, 
had  defied  and  defeated  the  proudest  potentates  of  earth !  No 
wonder  that  Rome  was  in  a  rage !  No  wonder  that  the  friends 
of  Luther  deemed  it  advisable  to  kidnap  him  and  carry  him 
away  to  the  castle  of  Wartburg,  in  the  solitudes  of  the  Thur- 
ingian  forest !  No  wonder  that  those  valiant  knights,  Ulrich 
von  Hutten  and  Franz  von  Sickingen,  prepared  to  use  their 
swords  and  eloquence  in  defense  of  right !  We  may  not  in  all 
things  admire  the  character  of  Luther  or  defend  his  acts ;  yet 
no  grander  figure  appears  on  the  pages  of  modern  history  than 
Luther,  as,  with  one  hand  upon  his  breast  and  the  other  lifted 
towards  heaven,  he  refused  the  emperor's  demand  to  retract 
his  writings  or  deny  the  truth,  closing  with  these  memorable 
words,  "Hier  stehe  icli,  Gott  Jielfe  mir.  Amen"  "Here  I 
stand,  God  help  me.  Amen." 

The  battle  that  Luther  fought  was  not  only  for  Germany 
and  the  sixteenth  century,  but  for  all  countries,  all  peoples  and 
all  coming  times.  It  was  a  battle  not  merely  against  the 
pope,  but  against  all  powers  religious  or  secular,  that  seek  to 
enchain  the  human  mind  or  prevent  the  free  exercise  of 
religion. 


GERMANY  AROUSED.  97 


CHAPTER    X. 


RESULTS    OF    THE     REFORMATION. 


GERMANY  AROUSED— PEASANTS'  WAR— MUNTZER'S  PROCLAMA- 
TION— EMPEROR  QUARRELS  WITH  THE  POPE — RESULTS 
IN  OTHER  COUNTRIES— GROWTH  OF  MODERN  LANGUAGES 
— LUTHEft'S  CROWNING  WORK — POWER  OF  SUPERSTITION- 
WITCHCRAFT — REFORMERS  NOT  INSPIRED — EXTRACTS 
FROM  MOSHEIM — BATTLE-AX  OF  GOD — COPERNICUS — 
GALILEO — NEWTON — DEATH  OF  BRUNO — CHANGE  IN 
COMMERCIAL  AFFAIRS— SPANISH  ARMADA — BLESSED  BY 
THE  POPE— DESTROYED  BY  A  STORM — ITS  EFFECT  ON 
EUROPE — ENGLAND'S  INFLUENCE  AND  POSITION — 
AMERICA  THE  LAND  OF  REFUGE. 

AS  the  booming  of  cannon,  announcing  the  begining  of 
battle  echoes  and  re-echoes  far  and  wide,  so  did  the  result 
of  the  council,  or  diet,  in  the  city  of  Worms.  The  answer  of 
Luther  was  repeated  by  thousands  of  sympathizing  friends. 
Instead  of  growing  fainter  as  it  died  away  in  the  distance,  it 
increased  in  intensity  and  power,  till  its  echoes  reverberated 
through  every  valley,  and  over  every  hill-top  in  central 
Germany. 

Within  twenty-four  hours  Ulrich  von  Hutten  and  Franz  von 
Sickingen  had  mustered  four  hundred  armed  knights  and  eight 
thousand  foot  soldiers  all  ready  to  fight,  or,  if  need  be,  to  die 
for  the  principles  Luther  had  advocated.  The  commotion  con- 
tinued until  it  culminated  in  a  civil  war,  in  A.  I).  1525.  The 
horrors  of  that  war  no  tongue  can  tell.  Nightly  the  papal 
party  burned  at  the  stake  the  prisoners  they  had  taken.  Amid 
the  groans  of  wounded  and  dying  peasants  on  the  battle  field 
around  them,  and  the  drunken  revelry  of  the  camp,  might  be 
heard  the  laughter  of  the  nobles  as  they  watched  the  struggles 
and  heard  the  shrieks  of  their  victims  as  they  slowly  roasted 
to  death.  But  the  revolution  continued  to  spread.  The  rage  of 

4* 


98  THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

the  peasants,  who  had  so  long  been  crushed  by  the  iron  heel  of 
oppression,  knew  no  bounds.  A  few  extracts  from  the  pro- 
clamation of  their  leader,  Munzer,  may  not  be  out  of  place,  as 
they  indicate  to  some  extent  the  nature  of  the  conflict  then 
going  on! 

"Arise  and  fight  the  battle  of  the  Lord!  On!  on!  on! 
Now  is  the  time ;  the  wicked  tremble  when  they  hear  of  you. 
Be  pitiless !  Heed  not  the  groans  of  the  impious  !  Rouse  up 
ye  townsmen  and  villagers ;  above  all,  rouse  up  ye  free  men  of 
the  mountains !  On !  on !  on  !  while  the  fire  is  burning,  while 
the  warm  sword  is  yet  reeking  with  the  slaughter !  Give  the 
fire  no  time  to  go  out,  the  sword  no  time  to  cool !  Kill  all  the 
proud  ones !  While  they  reign  over  you  it  is  no  time  to  talk 
of  God !  Amen. 

"Given  at  Muhlhausen,  1525. 
"THOMAS  MUNZER, 

"servant  of  God  against  the  wicked."* 

Such  was  the  character  of  the  men  with  whom  the  pope  had 
to  deal.  At  length  the  emperor,  Charles  Y.,  found  it  politic 
to  side  with  his  people.  Meanwhile  Clement  VII. ,  succeeded 
to  the  papal  throne,  in  1523.  The  emperor  and  the  new  pope 
soon  quarrelled,  and,  in  1527,  a  German  army  acting  under  the 
direction  of  the  German  emperor  captured  and  sacked  the 
imperial  city  of  Rome,  and  more  pitilessly  pillaged  it  than  it 
had  been  a  thousand  years  before  by  the  Goths  and  Vandals. 
From  this  time  Rome  ceased  to  be  the  capital  of  the  professedly 
Christian  world. 

But  the  revolution  stayed  not  here.  Its  principles  of  reform 
passed  over  the  Alps  and  found  a  hearty  welcome  among  the 
hardy  mountaineers  of  Switzerland.  It  reached  the  Rhine  and 
with  the  current  of  that  mighty  river  flowed  onward  to  the  sea. 
The  sturdy  sons  of  Holland  received  its  teachings ;  and  the 
patient  peasantry  of  Denmark,  Norway  and  Sweden  accepted 
it  as  an  improvement  on  the  past. 

Germany  continued  in  the  throes  of  revolution  for  more  than 
thirty  years,  or  until  the  peace  of  Augsburg,  in  1555. 

In  the  meantime  England  had  revolted  from  Rome,  in  15-52; 
Denmark  followed  in  1538;  Geneva  in  1541;  Norway  and 
Sweden  in  1550;  Scotland  in  1560;  and  Holland  in  1581. 


RESULTS   OF  THE  REFORMATION.  W> 

Never  in  the  history  of  the  world  was  fulfilled  more  literally 
the  words  that  our  Savior  said  in  reference  to  the  truth: 

"Think  not  that  I  am  come  to  send  peace  on  earth:  I  came 
not  to  send  peace  but  a  sword,"  etc.  (See  Matt.  x.  34,  38.) 
For  more  than  a  hundred  years  Europe  continued  to  be  the 
theatre  of  civil  wars,  .  until  the  nations  were  completely 
exhausted— in  some  cases  their  power  and  influence  perma- 
nently weakened. 

We  might  in  view  of  its  immedite  results,  be  inclined  to  look 
upon  the  Reformation  as  producing  more  evil  than  good.  Yet 
amid  the  wars,  bloodshed,  anarchy  and  persecutions,  society 
made  rapid  steps  in  the  path  of  progress. 

The  Reformation  promoted  national  growth,  and  mental 
activity.  During  the  middle  ages,  the  various  nations  of 
Europe  were  in  the  condition  of  colonies  to  a  vast  religious 
empire  whose  center  and  seat  of  government  was  Rome.  But 
after  the  peace  at  Augsburg,  1555,  all  this  was  changed. 
Each  nation  that  accepted  the  Reformation,  became  socially 
and  religiously  as  well  as  politically  free.  Rome  was  shorn  of 
her  power.  She  was  no  longer  the  supreme  court  of  appeal ; 
nor  did  the  high  dignitaries  of  those  realms  look  to  her  for 
preferment. 

The  Reformation  was  obviously  only  partially  successful. 
Where  it  succeeded  it  infused  new  energy;  where  it  failed  it 
produced  reaction.  Those  nations  that  rejected  the  light, 
glimmering  though  it  was,  fell  back  into  the  double  bondage 
•of  kingcraft  and  priestcraft.  The  Bastile  of  France  was  a 
symbol  of  the  one ;  the  Inquisition  of  Spain  a  type  of  the 
other.  Wave  after  wave  of  revolution  has  swept  over  these 
unhappy  countries.  The  guilty  streets  of  Paris  and  Madrid 
have  been  deluged  with  blood  until  their  population  has  sunk 
down  into  religious  apathy  or  brazen  infidelity. 

In  no  particular  was  the  effect  of  the  Reformation  more 
apparent  than  in  the  impulse  it  gave  to  national  languages  and 
literature.  Latin  had  been  the  language  of  the  Roman  empire 
and  Roman  church.  But  when  the  nations  revolted  from 
this  central  authority  they  immediately  began  to  cultivate 
their  own  native  tongues.  Learning  was  no  longer  confined  to  the 


100  THE   HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

few,  nor  communicated  through  the  medium  of  a  foreign 
language,  but  became  the  heritage  of  the  people. 

The  crowning  work  of  Luther  was  in  giving  to  the  German 
people  his  G-ennan  Bible  and  hymns.  The  earnest,  vigorous 
German  in  which  they  were  written  fixed  the  future  style  of 
the  language.  The  classic  German  of  to-day  is  the  German  of 
Luther's  Bible,  and  Luther's  hymns. 

In  England,  too,  the  same  thing  is  to  be  marked.  The 
English  translation  of  the  Bible,  together  with  other  works 
of  that  era,  such  as  Shakspeare's  dramas,  Milton's  poems  and 
Bunyan's  Pilgrim's  Progress,  have  done  more  to  stamp 
the  character  of  our  modern  English  than  all  later  publica- 
tions. 

It  may  be  asked,  Why  did  not  the  human  mind,  in  this  era, 
free  itself  from  its  trammels,  claim  its  true  freedom  and 
concede  it  to  every  one?  The  answer  is,  the  range  of  know- 
ledge was  too  narrow.  The  minds  of  men  could  not  take  a 
broader  view  oi  things  than  the  horizon  of  their  knowledge 
let  them.  Ignorance  and  superstition  still  held  a  terrible 
sway. 

It  is  true  that  the  whole  character  of  that  age  bears  the 
stamp  of  the  German  rather  than  the  Italian  intellect.  It  was 
the  energy  of  a  Luther,  the  learning  and  loving  heart  of  a 
Melanchthon,  the  polished  wit  of  an  Erasmus,  which  then 
gave  impulse  and  direction  to  the  thoughts  and  opinions  of 
the  world,  much  more  than  the  frivolous  jesting  of  the  infidel 
priests  who  thronged  the  streets  of  Rome  and  the  halls  of  the 
Vatican.  Yet  even  these  great  men  were  controlled  by 
superstition,  to  a  very  great  extent.  Witchcraft  was  uni- 
versally believed  in  at  that  time.  Hundreds,  aye  thousands, 
of  unoffending  old  women,  with  no  other  fault  than  that  they 
were  poor  and  old,  were  burned  to  death  as  witches, 
instead  of  being  treated  with  that  respect  due  to  those  who 
have  lived  many  years  and  spent  their  best  days  for  the  good 
of  others. 

Social  eminence  was  no  safeguard  against  these  delusions. 
When  it  was  affirmed  that  Agnes  Sampson,  with  two  hundred 
other  witches,  had  sailed  in  sieves  from  Leith  to  North 
Berwick  church  to  hold  a  banquet  with  the  devil,  James  L, 


POWER  OF  SUPERSTITION.  101 

had  the  torture  applied  to  the  wretched  woman,  and  took 
pleasure  in  putting  appropriate  questions  to  her.  It  then  was 
charged  that  the  two  hundred  old  women  had  baptized  and 
then  drowned  a  black  cat,  thereby  raising  a  dreadful  storm  in 
which  the  ship  that  carried  the  king  narrowly  escaped  being 
wrecked.  Upon  this,  Agnes  was  condemned  to  the  flames. 
She  died  protesting  her  innocence,  and  piteously  calling  on 
Jesus  to  have  mercy  on  her  for  Christian  men  would  not.  ,, 

Of  all  the  early  reformers,  Luther  and  Melanchthon  were 
perhaps  the  freest  from  superstition,  and  yet  even  they  devoutly 
believed  that  in  the  Tiber,  not  far  distant  from  the  pope's 
palace,  a  monster  had  been  found  having  the  head  of  an  ass, 
the  body  of  a  man  and  the  claws  of  a  bird.  After  searching 
their  Bibles  to  find  out  what  the  prodigy  meant,  they  at  length 
concluded  that  it  was  one  of  the  signs  and  wonders  which  were 
to  precede  the  fall  of  the  papacy,  and  published  a  pamphlet 
about  it.  Yet  Luther  and  Melanchthon  were  the  leaders  of  a 
great  movement,  the  teachers  of  a  great  nation,  and  were  in 
every  respect  the  most  influential  persons  in  that  nation.  The 
people,  credulous  and  grossly  ignorant,  listened  and  believed. 
We,  at  this  distance  of  time  and  living  in  another  realm  of 
thought,  can  form  but  a  faint  conception  of  the  effect  these 
horrible  conceits  produced  upon  them. 

But  the  greatest  need  of  those  times  was  the  want  of  divine 
authority.  The  writings  of  Luther,  Melanchthon,  Erasmus 
and  Calvin  were  never  considered  as  inspired.  Luther  himself 
never  professed  to  have  divine  authority  for  his  teachings; 
but  on  the  other  hand  denounced  the  very  idea  of  inspira- 
tion. 

When,  in  1525,  Munzer  and  his  associates  (commonly 
known  as  the  prophets  of  Zwickaw)  claimed  divine  authority, 
Luther  was  foremost  in  denouncing  and  persecuting  them,  and 
their  followers.  According  to  Mosheim,  their  principal  crimes 
were  in  denying  infant  baptism  and  the  right  of  a  distinct 
class  to  preach  for  hire ;  and  asserting  that  '  'God  still  con- 
tinued to  reveal  His  will  to  chosen  persons  by  dreams  and 
visions."  (See  Mosheim  Vol.  II.,  p.  128.)  They  also  claimed 
"that  God  in  His  own  good  time  would  erect  to  Himself  a 
holy  church  possessing  a  perfect  organization,  and  would  set 


102  THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

apart  for  the  execution  of  this  grand  design,  a  certain  number 
of  chosen  instruments  divinely  assisted  and  prepared  for  this 
chosen  work,  by  the  aid  and  inspiration  of  His  Holy  Spirit." 
As  a  consequence  they  claimed  the  right  to  rebaptizing  persons 
coming  from  other  churches. 

Mosheim  further  admits,  "The  extreme  difficulty  of  correct- 
ing or  influencing  by  the  prospect  of  suffering,  or  even  by  the 
terrors  of  death,  minds  that  are  firmly  bound  by  the  ties  of 
religion.  In  almost  all  the  countries  of  Europe,  an  unspeak- 
able number  of  those  unhappy  people  preferred  death,  in  its 
worst  forms,  to  a  retraction  of  their  opinions.  Neither  the 
view  of  the  flames  that  were  kindled  to  consume  them,  nor 
the  ignominy  of  the  gibbet,  nor  the  terrors  of  the  sword,  could 
shake  their  invincible  constancy  or  make  them  abandon  tenets 
that  appeared  dearer  to  them  than  life  itself  and  all  its  enjoy- 
ments." (See  Mosheim  Vol.  II.,  p.  131.) 

To  this  sect  and  its  principles  Luther  was  bitterly  opposed, 
but  this  opposition  argues  nothing  in  his  favor,  nor  does  it 
strengthen  his  authority.  It  may  also  be  added  that  if  Rome 
had  divine  authority,  Luther  had  no  right  to  secede  from  her. 
But  if,  as  Luther  claimed,  she  had  through  apostasy  lost  her 
authority,  then,  it  may  be  asked,  From  whence  did  Luther 
receive  his  authority?  In  all  this,  Luther's  actions  were  indeed 
logical,  but  fatal  to  the  claims  of  modern  sectarians  who  pro- 
fess to  be  the  ministers  of  Christ. 

Luther  was  simply  the  battle-ax  of  God  to  hew  down  the 
edifice  of  popery  which  stood  in  the  way  of  human  progress. 
The  churches,  which,  under  the  leadership  of  Luther,  Melanch- 
thon,  Zwingle,  Calvin,  Knox  and  Henry  VIII.  of  England, 
separated  from  Rome  received  the  name  of  Protestant.  And 
this  very  name  implies  that  they  were  merely  a  protest  against 
Rome,  her  teachings  and  authority.  The  right  of  protesting 
being  once  granted,  it  follows  that  others,  also,  have  the  right 
to  protest  against  them.  This  principle  caused  the  long  and 
bloody  wars  which  were  only  closed  by  the  peace  of  West- 
phalia, in  1648,  and  then  it  was  found  that  central  and  north- 
ern Europe  had  cast  off  the  intellectual  tyranny  of  Rome, 
and  had  established  the  right  of  every  man  to  think  for  him- 
self. 


ISAAC   NEWTON.  103 

The  Protestant  party  having  thus  established  its  existence, 
by  protest  and  separation,  was  obliged  to  submit  to  the  opera- 
tion of  the  same  principles.  A  decomposition  into  many  rival 
sects  was  inevitable.  These  having  no  central  or  controlling 
authority,  and  no  longer  in  fear  of  their  great  Horn  an 
adversary,  commenced  bitter  warfares  on  each  other;  Lutherans 
persecuted  Catholics  and  Catholics  persecuted  Protestants, 
and  they  in  turn  persecuted  Puritans.  Even  Calvin -proved 
the  darkness  of  his  own  mind  when  he  put  to  death  the 
celebrated  philosopher  and  physician,  Michael  Servetus,  whose 
greatest  crimes  were  that  in  religion  he  denied  that  the  Father, 
the  Son  and  the  Holy  Ghost  were  one  and  the  same  person; 
and  in  science  he  had  partially  succeeded  in  discovering  the 
circulation  of  the  blood.  The  circumstances  also  were  of  the 
most  atrocious  character.  For  two  hours  he  was  roasted  in 
the  flames  of  a  slow  fire,  begging  for  the  love  of  God  that 
they  would  put  on  more  wood,  or  do  something  to  end  his 
torture. 

Yet  the  death  of  Servetus  was  not  without  advantage  to  the 
world.  Men  asked  with  amazement  and  indignation  if  the 
atrocities  of  the  Inquisition  were  again  to  be  revived.  They 
saw  at  once  that  intolerance  was  not  confined  to  the  Romish 
church. 

In  spite  of  all  these  commotions,  science  was  making  rapid 
progress.  Copernicus  lived  at  the  same  time  as  Luther  and 
died  two  years  before  him.  His  was  as  brave  a  life  as  ever  lived 
in  story.  For  thirty-six  years — at  the  very  time  the  Protestant 
struggle  was  raging — he  was  working  at  that  immortal  book, 
in  which  he  so  clearly  demonstrates  the  motions  of  the  earth 
and  the  revolutions  of  the  planets  around  the  sun.  But  he 
did  not  dare  to  publish  it  until  there  was  a  lull  in  the  political 
storm.  He  was  then  an  old  man  in  broken  health.  His  book 
was  in  the  printer's  hands  when  he  was  on  his  death  bed.  He 
waited  at  death's  door  from  day  to  day.  At  length  the  mes- 
senger arrived  with  the  printed  book.  He  received  it  with 
tears  in  his  eyes,  composed  himself  and  died. 

Copernicus  was  followed  by  Tycho  Brahe,  Kepler  and  Galileo, 
and  last,  but  by  no  means  least,  Isaac  Newton,  that  scientific 
giant,  who  burst  through  the  fetters  of  the  ages,  and  taught 


104  THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

man  the  laws,  harmony  and  grandeur  of  the  Creator's 
works. 

During  these  troublous  times  Leonardo  da  Vinci  wrote  his 
celebrated  works  on  mathematics  and  natural  philosophy ;  and 
the  arts  of  painting,  sculpture  and  music  were  greatly 
improved  under  the  direction  of  Titian,  Corregio,  Michael 
Angelo  and  Filippo  Neri.  A  few  years  later  Bruno  wrote  his 
work  on  the  plurality  of  worlds. 

Copernicus  having  died  soon  after  the  publication  of  his 
works,  was  beyond  the  reach  of  his  persecutors.  Gralileo  was 
brought  before  the  Inquisition,  and  after  years  of  imprison- 
ment, only  saved  his  life  by  denying  the  great  truths  he  had 
discovered.  But  Bruno  heroically  refused  to  recant,  and  was 
tortured  to  death  February  16th,  1700,  a  martyr  to  the  cause  of 
truth. 

While  these  things  were  transpiring,  great  changes  had 
taken  place  in  the  maratime  and  commercial  affairs  of  the 
world.  Bold  navigators  had  sailed  along  the  whole  eastern 
coast  of  America,  and  a  large  part  of  the  western  coast. 
Tolerably  accurate  maps  of  the  outlines  of  the  western 
hemisphere,  had  been  published  as  early  as  1590.  After  these 
discoveries,  the  great  centers  of  commerce  were  no  longer  to 
be  found  on  the  shores  of  the  Mediterranean,  but  had  shifted 
to  the  shores  of  the  Atlantic. 

England  by  her  geographical  position,  betwixt  the  two  con- 
tinents, and  in  the  very  center  of  the  inhabitable  portion  of  the 
earth,  as  well  as  the  indomitable  energy  of  her  sons,  had 
rapidly  become  the  foremost  commercial  nation  of  the  world. 

The  great  naval  armament  called  the  Invincible  Armada, 
was  equipped  for  the  subjugation  of  England ;  but  in  the 
providence  of  Grod  she  destroyed  the  Armada  and  paralized 
the  influence  of  Spain. 

In  May,  1588,  a  Spanish  fleet  of  one  hundred  and  thirty 
ships  sailed  from  the  harbor  of  Lisbon  for  the  English  coast. 
Some  of  these  ships  were  the  largest  that  had  yet  been  built ; 
they  carried  eight  thousand  sailors,  and  twent}7  thousand 
Spanish  troops.  The  pope  had  blessed  the  expedition  and 
offered  the  sovereignty  of  England  as  the  conqueror's  prize. 
The  Catholics  throughout  Europe  were  so  confident  of  success 


DESTRUCTION    OF  TIIK   SPANISH  ARMADA.  10.) 

that  they  named  the  armament  "The  Invincible  Armada." 
So  vast  was  the  number  of  ships  that,  as  they  sailed  along  in 
the  form  of  an  inverted  V  (thus  A)»  or  in  the  form  of  a  vast 
flock  of  wild  geese,  the  distance  from  one  extremity  of  the 
fleet  to  the  other  was  more  than  seven  miles. 
But  they  were  destined  to  realize  that 

"God  moves  in  a  mysterious  way, 
His  wonders  to  perform; 
He  plants  His  footsteps  in  the  sea, 
And  rides  upon  the  storm." 

Scarcely  had  the  fleet  entered  the  English  channel  when  a 
storm  arose  which  lasted  more  than  a  week.  The  wind 
blew  a  perfect  gale  from  the  south-west,  so  that  it  was  impos- 
sible for  them  to  return  if  they  had  so  desired.  The  line  of 
battle  could  no  longer  be  kept  up.  They  drifted  helplessly 
and  in  disorder  up  the  straits  of  Dover.  When  nearly 
opposite  Calais,  the  English  loaded  several  vessels  with  gun- 
power,  set  them  on  fire  and  sent  them  into  the  Spanish  fleet. 
The  explosions  caused  terrible  havoc.  The  Spanish  admiral  no 
longer  thought  of  victory,  but  only  of  escape.  But  his  dis- 
asters were  not  yet  ended.  Many  of  his  vessels  were  wrecked 
on  the  shores  of  Norway  and  Scotland.  In  returning  around 
the  north  coast  of  Ireland  a  second  storm  was  experienced 
with  almost  equal  loss.  Only  a  few  shattered  vessels  of  this 
mighty  armament  returned  to  Spain  to  bring  intelligence  of 
the  calamities  that  had  overwhelmed  the  rest.  The  defeat  of 
the  Armada  was  regarded  even  then  as  the  work  of  Provi- 
dence. The  Spanish  king,  when  he  heard  the  news,  exclaimed, 
"I  did  not  expect  to  fight  the  elements!"  Thus  was  the 
triumph  of  the  Protestant  cause  secured,  the  lovers  of  freedom 
throughout  Europe  were  encouraged,  and  the  power  of  Spain 
forever  paralyzed  in  the  affairs  of  Europe.  Henceforth  the 
commerce  and  prosperity  of  Spain  declined.  King  Philip, 
who  had  planned  the  Armada,  died  in  1598,  and  bequeathed  a 
vast  debt  to  his  nation  whose  resources  were  already  exhausted, 
notwithstanding  her  rich  mines  of  gold  and  silver  in  the  new 
world.  In  1589,  the  next  year  after  the  destruction  of  the 
Armada,  Henry  IV.,  the  first  Protestant  king  of  France, 


]()(')  THE   HAND   OF^PROVIDENCE. 

ascended  the  throne,  and  by  the  Edict  of  Nantes  secured  to 
the  Protestants  the  free  exercise  of  their  religion. 

England,  at  that  time  the  mistress  of  the  seas,  held 
the  keys  of  the  commerce  of  Europe.  Her  long  con^ 
flict  with  her  Catholic  sovereigns,  and  the  Catholic  powers  cf 
Europe,  had  taught  her  self-reliance,  and  had  educated  her 
people  in  the  principles  of  self-government.  Her  laws  were 
the  best  the  world  then  new.  Henceforth  she  became  the 
favored  land  of  the  seed  of  Abraham,  and  the  asylum  of  the 
oppressed  of  every  nation. 

The  foregoing  will  indicate  to  some  extent  the  condition  of 
society  in  Europe  at  the  beginning  of  the  seventeenth  century. 
It  is  not  surprising  that  under  such  circumstances  men  began 
to  look  toward  America,  as  the  land  of  refuge,  •  where  the 
institutions  of  liberty  might  be  planted  and  fostered,  and 
political  institutions  framed  which  would  insure  unto  all,  life, 
liberty  and  religious  toleration. 


CHAPTER   XI. 


ANCIENT      AMERICAN     CIVILIZATION. 


COLUMBUS  DESTROYED  PAPAL  DOGMAS— CRUELTY  OF  SPAN- 
IARDS—THEIR RETRIBUTION — RELICS  IN  MASSACHUSETTS 
— NEWPORT  TOWER— MOUNDS  IN  OHIO — REMAINS  FOUND 
IN  IOWA — PLATES  FOUND  IN  ILLINOIS— ANCIENT  MEXI- 
CAN PYRAMIDS — HUMAN  SACRIFICES— VIEW  *FROM  THE 
GREAT  PYRAMID— ANCIENT  AMERICAN  SCULPTURES — 
MAMMOTHS — MEXICAN  CUSTOMS— RELIGIOUS  RITES— COM- 
PUTATION OF  TIME — ARTS  AND  SCIENCES— DESCRIPTION 
OF  PERU— ITS  CIVILIZATION — MASSACRE  OF  THE  INC  AS 
— TESTIMONY  OF  TRAVELERS— INDIAN  TRADITIONS. 

IN  ancient  times,  Rome  had  taught  that  the  earth  was  flat; 
and  that  the  whole  habitable  world  was  comprised  in  the 
three  divisions  of  the  eastern  continent.     To  these  divisions 


COLUMBUS   DESTROYED  PAPAL  DOGMAS.  107 

were  assigned  respectively  the  descendants  of  Shem,  Ham  and 
Japheth.  the  three  sons  of  Noah. 

When  America  was  discovered,  these  dogmas  were  obliged 
to  fall.  '  If  indeed  Columbus  had,  as  he  supposed,  reached  the 
Indies  by  a  westward  voyage,  then  the  world  was  proven  to  be 
a  vast  ball.  If  on  the  other  hand  America  was  a  separate  con- 
tinent, divided  from  the  eastern  by  a  wild  waste  of  waters  of 
many  thousand  miles  in  extent,  as  was  shown  by  tfie  voyage 
of  Magellan,  a  few  years  later,  then  it  was  found  necessary  to 
account  for. the  origin  of  the  inhabitants. 

The  teachings  of  Rome  were  altogether  against  their  being 
descended  from  Adam,  since  none  such  were  mentioned  in  their 
scriptures.  The  protestant  sects  were  too  busy  in  their  rival- 
ries, dissensions  and  civil  wars,  to  give  much  attention  to  the 
subject.  The  stupendous  event  recorded  in  Gen.  x.  25,  seems 
to  have  entirely  escaped  their  notice.  Hence  they  proceeded 
to  act  towards  the  unfortunate  inhabitants  of  ancient  America, 
as  though  they  did  not  belong  to  the  human  race. 

The  conquest  of  Mexico  and  Peru  by  the  Spaniards  will 
ever  remain  one  of  "the  bloodiest  pictures  in  the  book  of 
Time."  By  millions  upon  millions,  whole  races  and 'nations 
were  ruthlessly  destroyed.  It  was  one  unspeakable  outrage, 
one  unutterable  ruin,  without  discrimination  of  age,  sex  or 
character.  Those  who  fell  not  by  the  sword,  died  under  the 
lash  in  a  tropical  clime,  or  perished  in  the  darkness  and  damp- 
ness of  the  mines.  From  the  fever- stricken  coast  of  Mexico, 
and  the  gloom  of  dense  forests  in  Central  America;  from 
hiding  places  in  the  clefts  of  the  rocks,  and  from  the  eternal 
snows  of  the  Andes,  where  there  was  no  witness  but  the  all- 
seeing  eye  of  God,  there  went  up  to  Him  a  cry  of  human 
despair. 

The  Bishop  of  Chiapa  affirms  that  more  than  fifteen  millions 
were  destroyed  in  his  time.  From  Mexico  and  Peru  was 
crushed  out  a  civilization  that  might  have  instructed  Europe. 

What  treasures  would  now  be  given  for  a  view  of  that  won- 
derful civilization  and  people  that  met  the  gaze  of  Cortez  and 
his  companions! 

Is  it  for  nothing  that  Spain  has  been  made  a  hideous 
skeleton  among  the  nations— a  warning  spectacle  to  the  world? 


108 


THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 


Had  not  her  punishment  overtaken  her,  men  would  have 
surely  said:  "There  is  no  retribution ;  there  is  no  God."  She 
has  I  een  the  instrument  in  the  hands  of  Rome  of  ruining 
two  civilizations':  an  eastern  and  a  western :  and  both  of  the 


CRUELTIES   OF  SPAIN.  109 

seed  of  Abraham ;  and  in  turn  she  has  been  ruined  thereby 
herself. 

With  circumstances  of  dreadful  barbarity,  she  expelled  the 
Jews  and  Saracens  who  had  become  the  children  of  her  soil 
by  a  residence  of  more  than  seven  hundred  years,  and  in 
America  destroyed  nations,  in  some  respects  more  civilized 
than  herself.  By  expulsion  she  lost  some  of  her  best  citizens; 
and  the  wealth  of  Mexico  and  Peru,  induced  habits  'of  luxury 
and  effeminacy  among  the  remainder.  Her  great  cities  have 
sunk  into  insignificance,  and  towns  that  once  boasted  of  more 
than  a  million  inhabitants  can  now  only  show  a  few  scanty 
thousands.  Surely  the  hand  of  God  is  visible  in  the  degrada- 
tion of  Spain. 

It  is  not  alone  the  massive  ruins  of  Central  America,  Yuca- 
tan, Peru  and  Mexico,  that  astonish  the  beholder.  In  almost 
every  part  of  the  western  continent  may  be  found  the  footprints 
of  a  mighty  race,  now  vanished  from  the  earth. 

In  the  copper  mines  on  the  shores  of  Lake  Superior,  have 
been  found  the  implements  of  those  who  worked  in  those 
mines  many  centuries  ago.  These  instruments  are  made  of 
copper,  yet  some  of  them  are  of  so  fine  a  temper  that 
they  will  turn  the  edge  of  the  best  steel  instruments  of  our  times. 

A  few  years  ago,  in  digging  down  a  hill  near  the  town  of 
Fall  Elver,  Massachusetts,  a  mass  of  earth  slid  off  uncovering 
a  human  skull  which  was  found  to  belong  to  a  human  skeleton 
buried  in  a  sitting  posture.  When  the  covering  was  removed, 
the  astonished  workman  saw  that  the  trunk  of  the  skeleton 
was  encased  in  a  breastplate  of  brass.  This  breastplate  was 
oval  in  form,  about  thirteen  inches  long,  ten  in  width  and 
nearly  one-fourth  of  an  inch  in  thickness.  Below  the  breast- 
plate, and  entirely  encircling  the  body,  was  a  belt  composed  of 
brass  tubes,  each  four  and  a  half  inches  in  length  and  one-fourth 
ol  an  inch  in  diameter.  The  poet,  Longfellow,  has  written  a 
poem  on  this  subject  with  which,  no  doubt,  many  of  our  readers 
are  familiar.  The  poem  commences : 

11  Speak,  speak  thou  fearful  guest, 
Who,  with  thy  hollow  breast, 
Still  in  rude  armor  drest, 
Qomest  to  daunt  me." 


110 


THE   HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 


Not  far  distant,  on  the  bank  of  the  Taunton  river,  is  the 
celebrated  Dighton  Eock,  a  huge  piece  of  fine-grained  granite 
covered  with  sculptures  and  hieroglyphic  inscriptions.  Both 
the  skeleton  and  the  inscriptions  on  the  rock  seem  to  be  of 
Asiatic  origin.  The  armor  is  the  same  as  appears  in  drawings 
taken  from  the  sculptures  found  at  Palanque.  Mexico. 


^ANCIENT  TOWER  AT  NEWPORT, 

Not  far  from  Newport,  in  thejstateof  Rhode  Island,  near  the 
sea  shore,  is  a  strange^ tower,  which  may  have  been  the  base  for 
a  beacon  or  light-house. 

At  Marietta,  Ohio,  are  ancient  works  [that  cover  an  area 
about  three-fourths  of  a  mile  long,  and  half  a  mile  broad.  But 


REMAINS  FOUND    IN   IOWA.  11 

the  most  intricate,  and  perhaps  the  most  extensive,  are  those  in 
the  Licking  Valley,  near  Newark,  Ohio,  extending  over  an  area 
of  two  square  miles. 

These  mounds  are  evidently  the  remains  of  ancient  fortifica- 
tions, as  they  are  invariably  situated  on  a  commanding  emi- 
nence, or  by  the  side  of  a  stream.  Many  of  these  mounds 
have  been  found  to  contain  skeletons ;  and  the  appearance  of 
the  bones  would  seem  to  point  to  an  antiquity  of  more  than  a 
thousand  years. 

Curious  pottery,  known  as  "coil-made  pottery,"  has  been 
found  in  the  mounds  and  caves,  and  at  the  ruined  "pueblos," 
or  ancient  villages,  in  Utah.  These  vessels  seem  to  have  been 
formed  without  the  aid  of  a  potter's  wheel,  by  coiling  bands  of 
clay  upon  themselves. 

Other  relics  have  been  discovered  in  various  parts  of  the 
continent  which  throw  some  light  on  the  mental  and  social  con- 
dition of  the  ancient  inhabitants  of  America.  In  August, 
1875,  on  an  island  in  the  Mississippi  river,  near  the  city  of 
Davenport,  Iowa,  was  found  a  petrified  skeleton.  But  the 
most  singular  part  of  the  find  came  to  light  in  the  hardened 
and  petrified  straps,  bronze  buckles  and  wooden  leg  which  con- 
tinued the  right  extremity,  that  limb  having  been  removed 
about  midway  between  the  hip  and  knee.  This  very  interest- 
ing discovery  proves  that  the  arts  of  manufacturing  bronze,  and 
artificial  limbs,  as  well  as  the  art  of  surgery,  were  well  known 
among  the  ancient  Americans.  These  remains  were  handed 
over  to  the  Academy  of  Sciences,  and  a  photograph  was  taken 
of  the  inscription  contained  on  a  rock  in  the  vicinity.  A  copy 
of  this  photograph  was  forwarded  to  the  late  Mr.  Barfoot,  then 
curator  of  the  Deseret  Museum,  in  Salt  Lake  City. 

On  the  16th  of  April,  1843,  in  a  mound  near  Kinderhook, 
Pike  county,  Illinois,  were  found  six  plates  of  brass  of  a  bell 
shape,  each  having  a  hole  near  the  small  end,  and  a  ring 
through  them  all.  The  plates  were  so  completely  covered  with 
rust,  as  almost  to  obliterate  the  characters  inscribed  upon  each 
side  of  them.  But  after  undergoing  a  chemical  process,  the 
inscriptions  were  brought  out  plain  and  distinct. 

There  were  indications  that  lead  to  the  belief  that  this 
mound  was  the  tomb  of  a  family  or  person  of  distinction,  in 


112  THE   HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

ages  long  gone  by;  and  these  plates  probably  contain  the 
history  of  a  person  or  people  who  existed  at  a  time  far  beyond 
the  memory  of  the  present  race.  (For  further  particulars  see 
appendix  to  O.  Pratt 's  Works. ) 

"In  1815,  near  Pittsfield,  Mass.,  at  a  place  called  Indian 
Hill,  was  found  what  appeared  to  be  a  black  strap  about  six 
inches  in  length  and  one  and  a  half  in  breadth,  and  about  the 
thickness  of  a  leather  trace  to  a  harness.  On  examination  it 
was  found  to  be  formed  of  two  pieces  of  thick  raw-hide  sewed 
and  made  water-tight  with  the  sinews  of  some  animal  and 
gummed  over;  and  in  the  fold  were  contained  pieces  of  parch- 
ment, of  a  dark-yellow  hue  and  on  which  [was  some  kind  of 
writing.  Three  of  the  pieces  were  preserved  and  sent  to  the 
University  of  Cambridge,  Mass. ,  where  they  were  examined 
and  discovered  to  have  been  written  with  a  pen  in  Hebrew, 
plain  and  legible.  The  writing  was  quotations  from  the  Old 
Testament,  Deut.  vi.  4-9,  inclusive,  and  chap.  xi.  13-21, 
inclusive,  and  Exodus  xiii,  11-16,  inclusive.  (See  Voice  of 
Warning. ) 

The  ancient  Mexican  pyramids,  "teocallis,"  or  temples  of  the 
sun,  were  still  more  remarkable.  Two  of  the  most  ancient  of 
these,  near  the  city  of  Mexico,  were  each  nearly  200  feet  high, 
and  the  larger  of  these  two,  covers  an  area  of  eleven  acres, 
which  is  nearly  equal  to  that  of  the  pyramid  of  Cheops,  in 
Egypt. 

But  the  greatest  pyramid  was  that  of  Cholula.  Each  side 
of  its  base  was  one  thousand  four  hundred  and  twenty-three 
feet,  twice  as  long  as  the  great  pyramid  of  Cheops.  It  may 
give  some  idea  of  its  dimensions  to  state  that  its  base  covers 
nearly  forty-four  acres,  and  the  area  on  its  summit  embraces 
more  than  one.  On  this  elevation  stood  a  costly  temple,  in 
which  was  the  image  of  the  mystic  deity  Quetzalcoatl  "god  of 
the  air,"  wearing  a  mitre  on  his  head,  waving  with  "plumes 
of  fire."  A  resplendent  collar  of  gold  hung  around  his  neck : 
he  held  a  richly-jeweled  scepter  of  gold  in  one  hand,  and  a 
curiously  painted  shield,  emblematic  of  his  rule  over  the  winds, 
in  the  other.  This  temple  faced  the  east,  and  in  front  of  it, 
and  in  view  of  the  whole  valley,  was  the  great  altar  of  porphyry 
on  which  were  offered  human  sacrifices. 


VIEW  FROM  THE   GREAT  PYRAMID.  113 

Each  year,  one  was  chosen  from  the  most  illustrious  captives 
taken  in  war.  He  was  arrayed  in  costly  apparel.  He  feasted 
on  the  most  delicate  viands.  The  people  did  homage  to  him 
as  to  a  king.  Whatever  could  contribute  to  his  pleasure  was 
freely  given.  At  length  the  fatal  day  arrives.  Slowly  and  by 
a  circuitous  route  a  procession  ascends  the  pyramid.  It  is  com- 
posed of  the  captive,  Mexican  priests,  and  some  of  the  notables 
of  the  government,  accompanied  by  bands  of  music.  •*  As  they 
asend  the  captive  throws  away  his  garlands,  then  his  jewels 
and  at  length  portions  of  his  dress,  as  emblematic  that  death 
will  disrobe  us  all.  Having  arrived  at  the  top,  he  is  stretched 
upon  the  huge  altar  of  stone,  and  there  sacrificed  for  the  sins 
of  the  people.  Afterwards  the  people  feast  upon  his  flesh — 
not  as  famished  cannibals — but  at  a  table  teeming  with 
delicious  fruits  and  fragrant  flowers.  They  who  partook  of  his 
flesh  were  considered  to  have  an  especial  share  in  the  merits  of 
the  sacrifice.  Compare  with  this,  John,  vi.  chapter,  48  to  55  verse, 
III.  Nephi,  xviii.  chapter.  Some  idea  may  thus  be  gained  con- 
cerning the  origin  of  these  rites  and  their  terrible  perversion 
caused  by  apostasy. 

Nothing  can  be  more  grand  than  the  view  which  meets  the 
eye,  from  the  area  on  the  summit  of  the  pyramid.  Towards 
the  West  stretched  that  bold  barrier  of  rocks,  which  nature  has 
reared  around  the  valley  of  Mexico.  Far  away  to  the  East 
are  the  barren  though  beautifully-shaped  Sierras,  towering 
high  into  the  clouds  and  standing  like  sentinels  to  guard  the 
entrance,  to  the  valley.  Three  of  these  are  volcanoes,  higher 
than  the  highest  mountain  peak  in  Europe,  and  shrouded  in 
snows  which  never  melt  under  the  fierce  sun  of  the  tropics. 
At  the  feet  of  the  spectator  lay  the  sacred  city  of  Cholula 
with  its  bright  towers  and  pinnacles  sparkling  in  the  sun, 
reposing  amidst  gardens  and  verdant  groves. 

Such  was  the  magnificent  prospect  which  met  the  gaze  of 
Cortes  and  his  companions,  and  may  still  with  slight  change, 
meet  that  of  the  modern  traveler,  as  from  the  platform  of  the 
great  pyramid,  his  eye  wanders  over  the  fairest  portion  of  the 
beautiful  plateau  of  Peublo. 

Now  the  question  arises,  who  built  these  mounds  in 
the  Mississippi  valley,  and  these  pyramids  in  Mexico?  To 


114  THE  HAND   OF   PROVIDENCE. 

what  race  belong  the  relics  found  in  Massachusetts,  Illinois 
and  Iowa?  Surely  not  to  the  Indians  who  were  found  in 
America  when  the  country  was  discovered ;  for  these  things 
indicate  a  greater  skill  and  culture  than  those  tribes  pos- 
sessed. 

Antiquaries  have  furnished  many  theories  to  answer  this 
question  which  arises  in  the  mind  of  every  student.  Some  of 
these  theories  are  very  ingenious,  but  all  are  lacking  in  that 
important  element,  truth. 

For  more  than  three  hundred  years  no  certain  light  was 
thrown  upon  the  history  of  that  race.  But  that  which  man 
could  not  find  out,  with  all  his  learning  and  research,  God 
has  revealed  in  His  own  due  time.  And  here  we  see  a  wonder- 
ful manifestation  of  the  hand  of  God  in  the  history  of  this 
continent.  A  record,  authentic,  though  brief,  has  been  given 
to  the  world.  The  writings  of  some  of  the  ancient  worthies 
of  that  race  have  been  preserved  in  the  earth  and  have  now 
come  forth  for  the  guidance  and  instruction  of  living  men. 

The  Book  of  Mormon  contains  sketches  of  their  history  and 
the  dealings  of  God  with  these  peoples  in  a  similar  manner, 
as  the  Bible  teaches  the  history  and  dealings  of  God  with  His 
ancient  people,  the  Jews.  It  also  contains  many  incidental 
references  to  their  mental  and  social  condition  and  the 
extent  to  which  the  arts  and  sciences  weie  cultivated  among 
them. 

It  teaches  us  that  when  the  Lord  confounded  the  languages 
at  Babel,  He  led  forth  a  colony  from  thence  to 'the  western 
continent,  now  called  America.  This  colony,  after  crossing  the 
ocean  in  eight  vessels  and  landing  in  this  country,  became  in 
process  of  time  a  great  nation.  They  inhabited  America 
about  fifteen  hundred  years  but  were  at  length  destroyed  for 
their  wickedness,  about  six  hundred  years  before  Christ.  A 
prophet  by  the  name  of  Ether  wrote  their  history  and  an 
account  of  their  destruction. 

This  people  is  known  in  modern  history  by  the  name  of 
Toltecs,  the  ruins  of  whose  edifices  are  widely  scattered  in 
Yucatan  and  Central  America. 

The  sculptures  and  hieroglyphics  on  these  ruins  bear  a 
striking  resemblance  to  those  found  in  the  ruins  of  Babylon 


MAM  M  OT II   AN  I )  MASTODON,  I  1  5 

and  Nineveh.  It  also  appears  that  the  mammoth,  or  Amer- 
ican elephant,  and  mastodon— animals  which  are  now  extinct 
— then  roamed  the  wilds  of  the  western  continent;  for  repre- 
sentations of  these  animals  are  often  found  sculptured  on  the 
walls  of  Toltec  ruins.  Some  persons  have  tried  to  throw 


doubts  upon  these  statements  alleging  that  no  such  animals 
ever  existed  outside  of  tropical  regions.  However,  numerous 
remains  of  them  have  been  found  in  various  parts  of  America, 
especially  in  Kentucky,  Ohio,  Missouri  and  Oregon.  In 
Siberia*  they  have  been  found  frozen  in  a  complete  state  of 
preservation.  Qhe  illustrious  Rufin  Piotrowski,  a  Polish 


116  THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

exile,  gives  a  full  account  of  these  animals  and  the  methods 
employed  by  the  Russian  government  in  cutting  them  out  of 
the  ice.  (See  Souvenirs  d'un  Siberien.) 

It  is  no  doubt  to  these  animals  that  reference  is  made  in  the 
fourth  chapter  of  the  book  of  Ether. 

After  this,  another  colony  came  from  Jerusalem  about  six 
hundred  years  before  Christ  and  re-peopled  America.  This 
last  colony  grew  and  multiplied,  and  finally  gave  rise  to  two 
mighty  nations.  One  of  these  was  called  Nephitcs,  the 
other  Lamanites. 

The  Nephites  were  a  civilized  and  enlightened  people.  For 
nearly  one  thousand  years  they  were,  from  time  to  time, 
favored  with  revelations  from  God.  Prophet  after  prophet 
was  raised  up  from  among  them,  and  at  length  they  were 
blessed  with  a  personal  appearance  of  Jesus  Christ,  after  His 
resurrection,  from  whose  mouth  they  received  the  doctrine  of 
the  gospel  and  a  knowledge  of  the  future  down  through  all 
succeeding  ages.  But,  after  all  the  blessings  and  privileges 
conferred  upon  them,  they  fell  into  great  wickedness  in  the 
third  and  fourth  centuries  of  the  Christian  era,  and  finally 
were  destroyed  by  their  enemies,  the  Lamanites. 

But  though  the  Nephite  race  has  vanished  from  the  earth; 
still  rthe  grandeur  of  its  ruins  attest  the  greatness  of  its 
civilization.  Indeed  it  seems  impossible  to  understand  the 
character  and  extent  of  these  ruins  unless  we  admit  the  truth 
of  the  records  given  by  Mosiah,  Alma  and  Ncphi,  concerning 
the  arts,  sciences,  mode  of  warfare,  religion  and  subsequent 
apostasy  and  degradation  of  that  people.  In  fact,  as  researches 
continue  it  becomes  more  and  more"  evident  that  ancient 
American  civilization  was  only  a  transcript  of  ancient  Jewish 
and  Egyptian  architecture,  manners,  customs  and  modes  of 
thought.  In  matters  of  government,  the  pomp  of  their 
monarchs,  the  arbitrary  power,  and  the  obligation  of  all  to 
military  service  present  a  striking  resemblance  to  the  powers 
and  privileges  of  the  kings  of  ancient  Israel.  Likewise  their 
religious  state  was  only  a  reflection  of  that  of  Asia.  Their 
worship  was  an  imposing  ceremonial.  Though  the  common 
people  had  a  mythology  of  many  gods,  similar  to  the  saint- 


RELIGIOUS  RITES.  117 

worship  of  Home,  yet  the  higher-cultured  classes  acknowl- 
edged but  one  almighty  Creator. 

Marriage  was  celebrated  by  religious  ceremonies  and  the 
laws  pertaining  thereto  bore  a  striking  resemblance  to  those  of 
ancient  Israel.  Polygamy  was  sanctioned,  but  in  practice  was 
generally  confined  to  the  wealthy. 

The  priests  administered  a  rite  of  baptism  to  infants  and 
proselytes  for  the  purpose  of  washing  away  their  sins.  -  They 
also  taught  that  there  are  rewards  and  punishments  in  a  world 
to  come—a  paradise  for  the  good,  and  a  hell  of  darkness  for 
the  wicked.  But  the  highest  glory  and  reward  was  preserved 
for  the  noble  few  who  fell  in  sacrifice  or  in  battle  for  the  cause 
of  right.  They  went  directly  in  to  the  presence  of  the  sun, 
whom  they  accompanied  in  his  bright  progress  through  the 
heavens.  After  a  few  years  these  spirits  went  to  animate  the 
clouds  and  add  luster  to  the  glories  of  the  sunset,  or  were  sent 
to  rule  over  and  increase  the  pure  and  undying  light  of  the 
stars.  Who  does  not  see  in  all  this  the  traces  of  a  purer 
religion,  which  centuries  of  apostasy  and  degardation  had  not 
been  able  to  entirely  destroy?  This  is  all  the  more  manifest 
when  we  consider  some  of  their  maxims  and  forms  of  prayer. 
One  was:  "Bear  injuries  with  humility,  God,  who  sees,  will 
avenge  you. ' '  Another  was :  :  'Clothe  the  naked  and  feed  the 
hungry,  whatever  privations  it  may  cost  thee ;  for  remember, 
their  flesh  is  like  thine  and  they  are  men  like  thee."  Again: 
''Impart  to  us,  0  Lord,  out  of  Thy  great  mercy  Thy  gifts 
which  we  are  not  worthy  to  receive  through  our  own  merits. ' ' 
Also  :  "0,  merciful  Lord,  thou  who  knowest  the  secrets  of  all 
/uarts,  let  Thy  forgivness  and  favor  descend. ' '  In  all  these  we 
find  sentiments  such  as  are  contained  in  the  scriptures  of  the 
Old  Testament, 

One  of  the  most  important  duties  of  the  priesthood  was 
that  of  education,  to  which  certain  buildings  were  appropriated. 
To  each  of  the  principal  temples,  schools  were  attached  and 
lands  were  annexed  for  the  maintenance  of  the  priests.  Their 
writings  were  on  cotton  cloth  or  skins,  or  on  papyrus,  a  kind  of 
paper  made  from  the  aloe.  At  the  time  of  the  Spanish  con- 
quest, vast  collections  of  these  manuscripts  were  in  existence ; 
but  the  first  archbishop  of  Mexico,  burned  them  in  the 


US  THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

market-place.  Home  was  determined  that  no  literature  should 
exist  but  her  own. 

The  Mexican  year  consisted  of  eighteen  months  and  each 
month  of  twenty  days ;  five  days  were  added  to  make  the 
number  to  three  hundred  and  sixty-five.  To  provide  for  the 
leap  years  they  added  twenty-four  days  to  each  century.  The 
Mexican  mode  of  reckoning  was  then  superior  to  that  of 
Europe.  When  the  nations  of  Europe  adopted  the  calendar 
discovered  and  perfected  by  the  Jews  and  Saracens,  then 
their  mode  of  reckoning  corresponded  with  that  discovered  by 
the  seed  of  Abraham  on  this  continent  and  both  were  true. 

The  ancient  Americans  had  ascertained  the  globular  form 
of  the  earth  previous  to  their  contact  with  Europeans.  Catholic 
.Europe  would  not  admit  that  truth  till  compelled  to  by  the 
voyages  of  Columbus  and  Magellan. 

Their  agriculture  was  in  some  respects  superior  to  that  of 
Europe.  There  was  nothing  in  the  old  world  to  compare 
with  the  menageries  and  botanical  gardens  of  Huax-tepec, 
Chapultepec  and  Tezcuco. 

They  excelled  in  the  arts  of  the  jeweller  and  enameller. 
They  were  skillful  weavers  of  fine  cloth.  They  were  not 
ignorant  of  the  use  of  iron  ;  and  understood  the  manufacture 
of  bronze,  of  which  they  also  made  use.  To  them  we  are 
indebted  for  tobacco,  snuff,  chocolate  and  cochineal.  From 
them  we  learned  the  use  of  the  potato,  which  has  now  extended 
to  all  parts  of  the  civilized  world.  They,  like  us,  knew  the 
use  of  intoxicating  drinks ;  and  like  us  sometimes  partook  of 
them  to  excess. 

This  sketch  would  be  incomplete  without  a  reference  to  the 
civilization  of  Peru.  As  Egypt  was  the  cradle  of  civilization 
in  the  old  world,  so  Peru  was  in  the  new.  Like  Egypt  also  it 
was  in  most  parts  a  rainless  region.  The  ancient  Peruvian 
empire  was  nearly  two  thousand  four  hundred  miles  in  length, 
but  scarcely  sixty  miles  in  width — a  narrow  strip  hemmed  in 
between  the  grand  Andes  mountains  and  the  Pacific  ocean. 

The  sides  of  this  great  mountain  range  might  seem  altogether 
unfitted  for  agriculture.  But  the  advanced  state  of  Peruvian 
civilization  is  at  once  demonstrated  when  it  is  said  that  these 
mountain  slopes  had  become  a  garden.  Immense  terraces 


DESCRIPTION   OF  PERU. 

were    constructed    wherever    required,    and 


110 


irrigation    was 

employed  on  the  grandest  scale  the  world  has  ever  seen.  Peru 
possessed  a  varied  climate.  In  the  lower  valleys  near  the  coast 
could  be  raised  all  the  products  of  tropical  regions,  at  an 
elevation  of  a  few  thousand  feet  the  climate  was  adapted  for 


MUMMY. 

grains  ot  a  temperate  zone.     On  table-lands,  at  a  great  eleva- 
tion above  the  sea,  there  were  villages  and  even  cities.     Thus 
the  plain  on  which  Quito  stands,  under  the  equator,  is  nearly 
en  thousand  feet  high,  and  enjoys  a    climate  of  perpetual 


120  THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

spring.  So  great  was  their  industry  that  the  Peruvians  had 
gardens  and  orchards  above  the  clouds,  and  on  ranges  still 
higher  flocks  of  sheep  and  llamas,  in  regions  bordering  on  the 
limit  of  perpetual  snow. 

In  Cuzco,  the  metropolis,  was  the  residence  of  the  inca  or 
emperor,  and  the  great  temple  of  the  sun. 

The  inca  was  both  temporal  prince  and  ruling  priest  of  their 
religion.  Though  they  ostensibly  worshiped  the  sun,  yet  the 
higher  classes  recognized  the  existence  of  one  almighty,  invis- 
ible God. 

Like  the  Egyptians*  the  Peruvians  understood  the  art  of 
embalming  the  dead.  The  mummies  of  their  incas  being 
placed  in  the  vaults  beneath  the  temple  of  the  sun,  at  Cuzco. 

This  city  contained  edifices  which  excited  the  amazement  of 
the  Spanish  adventurers  themselves— streets,  squares,  bridges 
and  fortresses  surrounded  by  turretted  walls.  The  public 
walls  of  Peru  as  well  as  Mexico  were  superior  to  those  of 
Spain  herself.  Two  great  military  roads  extended  the  whole 
length  of  the  empire — one  along  the  coast,  the  other  along  the 
base  of  the  mountains.  These  highways  greatly  aided  the 
Spaniards  in  their  conquest  of  the  country. 

Having  gained  possession  of  the  country  and  robbed  the 
inhabitants  of  their  gold,  silver  and  precious  stones,  they  put 
to  death  the  inca  and  nobility,  and  took  possession  of  their 
residences. 

The  enormous  crime  of  Spain  in  destroying  this  civilization 
has  never  been  fully  appreciated.  In  vain  the  Spaniards 
excuse  their  atrocities,  on  the  plea  that  those  nations  were 
savages  and  permitted  human  sacrifices.  True,  the  nations  of 
America  sank  very  low  when  the  light  of  the  gospel  was  with- 
drawn ;  but  every  candid  mind  will  ask:  "Which  was  the 
more  degraded,  papal  Europe  or  apostate  America?"  Human 
sacrifice,  however  cruel,  has  nothing  in  it  degrading  to  its 
victim.  It  may  be  rather  said  to  ennoble  him  by  devoting  him 
to  the  gods.  Although  so  terrible  with  the  Mexicans,  it  was 
sometimes  voluntarily  embraced  by  them  as  the  most  glorious 
death,  and  one  that  opened  a  sure  passage  into  paradise. 

There  was  no  spectacle  on  the  American  continent,  at  which 
a  just  man  might  so  deeply  blush  for  his  race  as  that  presented 


THE  HORRIBLE  CRIMES   OF  EUROPE. 


121 


in  Western  Europe  when  the  myrtyr,  from  whom  confession 
had  been  wrung  by  torture,  passed  to  the  stake  in  a  sleeveless 
garment,  with  flames  of  fire  and  pictures  of  devils  painted 
upon  it.  Let  it  be  remembered  that  from  A.  D.  1481  to  1808, 
more  than  three  hundred  and  forty  thousand  persons  had  been 
tortured,  and  out  of  these  nearly  thirty-two  thousand  burnt. 


Let  it  also  be  remembered  that  ttie  body  of  man  is  of  less 
value  than  the  immortal  soul,  for  the  redemption  of  which  the 
agony  and  death  of  the  Son  of  God  was  not  too  great  a  price 
to  pay.  Let  it  not  be  forgotten  that  at  that  period  the  entire 
authority  of  Europe  was  directed  to  the  enslaving  of  the  minds 
and  souls  of  men  and  making  that  noblest  creation  of  heaven 
a  worthless  machine. 

5* 


THE  HAND  OF  PROVIDENCE. 

Eveiy where  throughout  the  continet  may  be  found  traces  of 
Bible  and  Nephite  history.  Humbolt,  in  his  travels,  mentions 
a  multitude  of  native  books  in  which  were  described  all  the 
leading  circumstances  and  history  of  the  deluge,  of  the  fall  of 
man,  and  the  first  murder  as  perpetrated  by  Cain. 

Clavigero,  in  his  history  of  Mexico,  tells  of  an  ancient  native 
manuscript,  found  at  Chiapa,  which  gives  a  plain  and  brief 
account  of  the  building  of  the  tower  of  Babel,  the  confusion 
of  tongues,  and  the  subsequent  migration  of  Votan,  or  Jotan, 
(no  doubt  a  corruption  of  Jared)  and  his  companions  to  the 
continent  of  America. 

The  Indians  of  Cuba  related  to  Bernal  Diaz,  a  companion 
and  historian  of  Columbus,  a  complete  and  scarcely  corrupted 
account  of  the  deluge,  the  intoxication  of  Noah  and  Ham's 
shameful  conduct. 

Humboldt  mentions  numerous  traditions  existing  among  the 
natives  of  Yucatan  and  Central  America  concerning  a  great 
religious  teacher,  a  wonderful  personage,  whom  they  called 
Quetzalcoatl,  and  who  was  a  white  and  bearded  man.  "Many 
things  are  said  of  him  in  their  books  of  parchment,  and  among 
others,  that  when  he  left  them  he  gave  them  wise  laws  and 
maxims,  and  promised  to  return  and  rule  over  them  and  renew 
their  happiness."  Compare  with  this  the  record  of  Nephi. 
( See  III.  Nephi \  chap.  ii.  to  xxriii.  inclusive. ) 

A  tradition  of  the  Wyandott  Indians,  published  by  Frederick 
Falley,  of  Sandusky,  0.,  in  1823,  gives  a  plain  account  of 
the  battle  of  Cumorah.  Both  Breckenridge  and  Humboldt 
conclude  that  "a  great  battle  took  place  in  the  region  of  the 
great  lakes  not  later  than  the  year  544  of  the  Christian  era? 
after  which  the  Aztecs  [Lamanites]  took  possession  of  the 
country  southward. ' ' 

The  foregoing  will  indicate  to  some  extent  the  workings  of 
the  hand  of  God,  as  manifested  in  the  history  of  this  continent. 
Volumes  might  be  written  on  this  subject,  but  enough  has 
been  said  to  awaken  inquiry  among  the  honest-in-heart  and 
indicate  the  treasures  contained  in  the  Nephite  annals,  and 
corroborated  by  the  ruins  of 

"This  old,  old  land,  which  men  call  new ; 
This  land  as  old  as  time  is  old." 


123 


CHAPTER  "XII. 


THE     COLONIZATION     OF     ACADIA. 


ENGLAND  S  DEVELOPMENT — REIGN  OF  ELIZABETH — INFLU- 
ENCE OF  THE  BIBLE — TYRANNY  OF  THE  KINGS — JACQUES 
CARTIER— DISCOVERY  OF  THE  ST.  LAWRENCE — QUEBEC 
FOUNDED — ACADIA  COLONIZED — TRANSFERRED  TO  ENG- 
LAND— EXTRACTS  FROM  LONGFELLOW' S  POEM — VIRGINIA 
SETTLED. 

TN  previous  chapters  we  have  traced  the  instrumentalities 
-I  which  God  used  in  the  unshackling  of  the  minds  of  men 
from  the  superstitions  of  the  past,  and  disciplining  them  for 
the  reception  of  higher  truths.  We  have  seen  how,  amidst 
the  rage  of  tyrants  and  in  spite  of  the  opposition  of  the 
powers  of  evil,  society  had  gradually  climbed  to  a  loftier  intel- 
lectual eminence  than  that  to  which  she  had  attained  in  any 
previous  age.  The  time  had  at  length  arrived,  when,  far  from 
the  jarring  scenes  of  Europe's  strife,  a  nation  was  to  come 
into  existence,  earnest  in  its  love  of  human  liberty,  and 
vigorous  in  the  execution  of  its  purposes — a  nation,  which 
should  accomplish  some  of  the  mightiest  achievements  of  the 
human  race ;  and  where,  under  the  benign  influences  of  its 
political  institutions,  and  in  the  Lord's  due  time,  the  gospel 
should  be  again  revealed  and  the  Kingdom  of  God  set  up 
among  the  children  of  men. 

To  rightly  understand  the  history  and  character  of  an  indi- 
vidual, we  must  know  something  of  his  parentage  and  the  cir- 
cumstances of  his  early  life.  Hence  to  understand  the  character 
of  the  American  people ;  we  must  know  something  of  their 
great  national  mother,  the  people  of  England. 

The  defeat  of  the  great  Spanish  armada  delivered  England 
from  the  control  of  continental  Europe,  and  marked  a  critical 
epoch  in  her  development.  From  that  hour  England's  destiny 


124  THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

was  fixed.  She  was  to  be  the  great  protestant  power.  Her 
sphere  of  action  was  to  be  upon  the  seas.  She  was  to  take  a 
leading  part  in  the  new  world  of  the  west.  The  time  was 
coming  when  her  commerce  should  surpass  all  the  nations  of 
ancient  or  modern  times;  but,  above  all,  her  language  and 
literature  were  fast  developing,  by  means  of  which  her  laws 
and  influence  would  effect  the  remotest  nations  of  the  earth. 
Hitherto  England  had  lagged  behind  in  the  intellectual  develop- 
ment of  Europe.  In  the  single  reign  of  Elizabeth  she  leaped 
to  the  first  rank  among  the  nations  of  the  earth ;  nay  more, 
she  was  to  become  the  mother  of  nations.  An  impression, 
vague  and  shadowy  indeed,  but  none  the  less  real,  penetrated 
the  minds  of  the  English  people,  that  they  were  to  be  the 
repository  of  the  divine  will,  and  the  executor  of  His  purposes 
— that  the  blessings  and  prerogatives  of  ancient  Israel,  were 
to  be  their  inheritance. 

Beneath  the  rough  exterior  and  blunt  manners  of  that  age, 
lay  the  new  sense  of  a  prophetic  power — the  sense  of  a  divine 
commission.  And  who  will  say  that  they  were  wrong,  or  prove 
that  they  were  not  divinely  commissioned  to  break  down  the 
barriers  to  human  progress,  and  to  some  extent  prepare  society 
for  the  "dispensation  of  the  fullness  of  times?" 

The  English  translation  of  the  Bible,  became  the  great  rule 
of  life.  The  whole  moral  effect  which  is  now  produced  by  the 
newspaper,  the  sermon,  the  lecture  and  the  circulating  library 
was  then  produced  by  the  Bible  alone ;  and  its  effect  on  the 
national  character  was  simply  amazing.  Religion  was  no  longer 
confined  to  the  cloister  and  cathedral,  but  became  a  subject  of 
thought  for  every  individual.  The  profound  meditations  that 
Shakspeare  puts  into  the  mouth  of  Hamlet  were  but  a  tran- 
script of  the  thoughts  and  feelings  of  the  earnest  men  of  that 
age,  who  saw  themselves  day  by  day  in  the  theater  of  a  mighty 
struggle  between  the  powers  of  light  and  the  powers  of  dark- 
ness— their  souls  the  prize  of  an  eternal  conflict  between  heaven 
and  hell. 

It  was  this  phase  of  thought  that  gave  to  the  world  the 
sublime  conceptions  of  Milton,  the  realistic  dreams  of  Bunyan, 
as  well  as  the  stern  and  solemn  character  of  Oliver  Cromwell 
and  his  followers ;  and  made  these  liberty-loving  peasants  more 


THE  REIGN   OF  ELIZABETH.  125 

than  a  match  for  the  chivalry  and  iron-clad  knights  of  King 
Charles  I. 

Nor  was  this  feeling  confined  to  any  one  class.  It  permeated 
all  ranks  and  conditions,  even  to  the  sovereign.  Tradition 
still  points  out  the  tree  in  Hatfield  Park,  beneath  which 
Elizabeth  was  sitting  when  she  received  the  news  of  her 
peaceful  accession  to  the  throne.  She  fell  on  her  knees  and 
exclaimed:  "It  is  the  Lord's  doing,  and  marvelous  in  our 
eyes."  To  the  end  of  her  reign  these  words  remained  stamped 
on  the  golden  coinage  of  the  realm.  Through  all  her  long  and 
eventful  life,  the  feeling  seems  never  to  have  left  her,  that  her 
preservation  and  her  reign  were  the  issues  of  a  direct  inter- 
position of  God. 

The  foregoing  may  help  us  to  understand  the  character  of 
the  English  people  at  the  time  they  commenced  to  plant  the 
institutions  of  liberty  on  this  coutinent.  Who  can  read  the 
thrilling  narrative  of  English  history  during  the  sixteenth  and 
seventeenth  centuries  without  acknowledging  the  hand  of  God, 
in  moulding  the  character  of  the  British  people  ? 

It  was  not  a  pleasant  world  which  the  men  and  women  of 
Europe  had  to  live  in  during  the  sixteenth  century.  Fighting 
was  the  constant  occupation  of  the  kings  of  that  time ;  civil 
wars  were  also  frequent.  In  these  confused  strifes  men  slew 
their  acquaintances  and  friends  as  the  only  method  they  knew 
of  deciding  who  was  to  fill  the  throne.  Feeble  commerce  was 
crushed  under  the  iron  heel  of  war.  No  such  thing  as  security 
for  life  and  property  was  expeted.  The  fields  of  the  husband- 
man were  trodden  down  by  the  march  of  armies.  Disbanded 
or  deserted  soldiers  wandered  as  lawless  men  over  the  country 
and  robbed  and  murdered  at  their  will.  Epidemic  diseases  of 
strange  type,  the  result  of  insufficient  and  unwholesome  food, 
and  the  poisonous  air  of  undrained  lands  and  filthy  streets 
destroyed  the  inhabitants.  Under  what  hardships  and  miseries 
the  men  of  the  sixteenth  century  passed  their  days,  it  is 
scarcely  possible  for  us  now  to  conceive. 

From  the  persecutions  of  the  old  world  they  fled  to  the  wilds 
of  the  new.  The  thrilling  story  of  their  adventures,  though 
indeed  real,  sounds  more  like  romance  than  reality.  Unlike 
the  history  of  eastern  nations,  which  frequently  loses  itself  in 


126  THE  HAND  OF  PROVIDENCE. 

mists  of  antiquity,  the  history  of  the  American  people  begins 
at  a  comparatively  recent  date.  It  is  less  than  four  hundred 
years  since  Columbus  and  his  companions  first  saw  the  western 
continent,  and  less  than  two  hundred  and  seventy-five  years 
since  the  first  colony  was  planted  in  the  territory  which  formed 
the  thirteen  original  states. 

Another  peculiarity  is,  that  from  the  very  first  this  land  has 
been  an  asylum  for  the  persecuted  and  oppressed  of  every 
nation. 

It  was  in  the  beautiful  month  of  May,  1535,  that  Jacques 
Cartier,  a  bold  navigator  in  the  service  of  the  king  of  France, 
sailed  along  the  shores  of  the  gulf  of  St.  Lawrence,  stopping 
here  and  there  to  examine  the  country  and  lay  out  plats  for 
future  settlements.  In  July  he  entered  the  river  St  Law- 
rence and  sailed  on  its  broad  waters,  amidst  picturesque  scenery 
in  which  was  realized  all  his  glowing  expectations  and  dreams. 
Leaving  his  vessel  at  the  present  site  of  Quebec,  he  proceeded 
up  the  river  in  a  small  boat,  as  far  as  the  Indian  settlement  of 
Hochelaga,  This  place  he  named  Mount  Royal.  It  is  now 
the  magnificent  city  of  Montreal.  However,  no  permanent 
settlements  were  formed,  and  it  was  not  till  1004  that  De  Monts, 
Champlain  and  other  explorers  began  to  colonize  the  country, 
on  the  banks  of  the  gulf  of  St.  Lawrence.  Quebec  was  founded 
in  1G08.  The  whole  region  on  the  south  shore  of  the  gulf  was 
then  called  Acadia.  Its  history  shows  the  wonderful  influence 
kindness  exerts,  even  among  the  savage  tribes  of  North  America. 
Poutrincourt,  the  governor  of  the  colony,  caused  an  immense 
banqueting  hall  to  be  erected,  which  was  well  supplied  with 
deer,  moose,  bear  and  all  kinds  of  wild  fowl.  He  made  friends 
of  the  Indians  and  entertained  the  chiefs  at  sumptuous  feasts. 
In  the  Winter  evenings  by  the  blazing  pine  logs,  Champlain 
would  relate  the  stories  of  his  wonderful  adventures  among 
the  hills,  and  valleys,  and  lakes,  and  streams,  and  cataracts, 
and  red  men  of  the  west. 

At  length,  by  the  fortunes  of  war,  this  colony  was  transferred 
to  England ;  but  its  heart  was  still  with  France.  The  English 
distrusted  its  loyalty,  and  sent  an  armed  force  to  surprise  and 
attack  it,  and  carry  away  the  once  happy  people,  and  scatter 
them  throughout  their  American  domains.  The  Acadians  were 


EXTRACT  FROM  LONGtfEtLOW's  POEM.  127 

crowded  into  transports,  their  families  were  separated,  their 
friendships  and  attachments  broken  up,  and  they  were  exiled 
among  strangers,  never  to  see  each  other  again.  The  name  of 
Acadia  was  blotted  out.  Most  people  are  familiar  with  Long- 
fellow's beautiful  story  of  Evangeline.  It  is  now  almost  the 
only  memorial  that  remains  of  the  history  of  that  colony. 

As  a  picture  of  peace  and  prosperity,  contentment  and  neigh- 
borly love,  worthy  of  imitation  in  this  selfish  age,  a  few*  lines 
from  Longfellow's  beautiful  peom,  may  not  be  out  of  place: 

"There,  in  the  midst  of  its  farms  reposed  the  Acadian  village, 
Strongly  built   were   the  houses   with   frames    of  oak   and   of 

hemlock; 

There,  in  the  tranquil  evenings  when  sunset  had  faded  to  twilight, 
Softly  the  church-bell  sounded  calling  the  people  to  worship. 
Thus  dwelt  in  love  these  simple  Acadian  farmers, 
Dwelt  in  the  love  of  God  and  of  man.   Alike  they  were  free  from 
Fear  that  reigns  with  the  tyrant,  and  envy  the  vice  of  republics, 
Neither  locks  had  they  to  their  doors  nor  bars  to  their  windows, 
But  their  dwellings  were  open    as   day   and  the  hearts  of  the 

owners; 
There  the  richest  was  poor,  and  the  poorest  lived  in  abundance." 

Meanwhile  attempts  at  colonizing  were  going  on  farther 
south.  The  settlement  at  Jamestown,  Virginia,  was  founded 
in  1607.  The  adventures  of  Captain  John  Smith,  the  virtual 
founder  of  the  colony,  are  well  known  to  most  readers,  as  well 
as  the  romantic  story  of  Pocahontas,  the  Indian  princess.  Its 
early  history  is  a  narrative  of  strife  and  human  suffering. 
Many  of  its  early  inhabitants  were  scions  of  nobility,  men 
unused  to  toil ;  in  some  cases  they  were  mere  adventurers, 
actuated  by  a  lust  for  gold  or  love  of  plunder.  However,  it 
teaches  one  important  lesson,  that  noble  birth  and  high-sound- 
ing titles  are  of  little  account  when  compared  with  the  plain 
virtues  of  industry,  honesty,  and  trust  in  God — that  it  is  not 
men  of  wealth,  but  men  of  noble  character  that  are  of  most 
importance  in  founding  a  commonwealth. 


128  THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 


CHAPTER    XIII. 
COLONIZATION  OF  NEW  ENGLAND. 


CHARACTER    OF    THE    COLONISTS — THEY    LEAVE    ENGLAND — 
SOJOURN   IN   HOLLAND — BREWSTER^S    PRINTING  PRESS — 

PURITANS  EMBARK  FOR  AMERICA — THEIR  TRUST  IN  GOD 
— ROBINSON'S  PROPHECY — PLYMOUTH  FOUNDED — SUF- 
FERINGS OF  THE  COLONISTS— CONFLICT  IN  ENGLAND — 
PECULIARITIES  OF  THE  PURITANS— HARVARD  COLLEGE 
FOUNDED — EXTENT  OF  SETTLEMENTS — FIRST  CONFEDERA- 
TION. 

"What  constitutes  a  state? 
Not  high-raised  battlements  or  labored  mound, 

Thick  wall  or  moated  gate ; 
Not  cities  proud,  with  spires  and  turrets  crowned, 

Not  bays  and  broad  armed  ports 
Where,  laughing  at  the  storm,  proud  navies  ride; 

Not  starred  and  spangled  courts 
Where  low-browed  baseness  wafts  perfume  to  pride; 

No !  Men,  high-minded  men, 
With  powers  as  far  above  dull  brutes  endued, 

In  forest,  brake  or  den, 
As  beasts  excel  cold  rocks  and  brambles  rude; 

Men,  who  their  duties  know, 
But  know  their  rights;  and  knowing  dare  maintain." 

THE  mind  instinctively  turns  to  the  colonizing  of  New  Eng- 
land as  one  of  the  great  landmarks  of  human  history.  A 
little  more  than  two  centuries  ago  this  land  was  covered  with 
forests  in  which  roamed  various  tribes  of  Indians ;  and  the 
rivers,  which  now  give  life  to  so  much  cheerful  industry,  flowed 
uselessly  to  the  sea.  To-day  this  same  land  is  covered  with 
cities,  towns  and  villages,  gardens,  vineyards  and  orchards, 
schools  and  palaces — a  civilization  surpassing,  in  some  respects, 
that  of  any  other  country  on  the  face  of  the  globe. 

Whence  came  the  men  who  wrought  these  mighty  changes? 
What  were  the  circumstances  that  led  them  to  abandon  their 


COLONISTS  LEAVE  ENGLAND.  1 1)(J 

country  and  their  kindred,  and  all  the  sacred  associations  that 
link  man  to  his  native  land,  to  seek  homes  beyond  the  stormy 
Atlantic,  in  a  wilderness  then  inhabited  only  by  savage  beasts, 
and  men  still  more  savage ;  and  above  all,  that  trained  them  in 
the  principles  of  self-government  and  fitted  them  to  become 
the  founders  of  a  mighty  empire? 

At  that  time  protestant  princes,  no  more  than  popish,^  were 
willing  that  their  subjects  should  think  for  themselves.  James 
I.  had  just  ascended  the  English  throne.  His  was  the  head  of 
a  fool  and  the  heart  of  a  tyrant.  He  was  determined  that 
every  one  of  his  subjects  should  observe  the  rites  and  cere- 
monies of  the  Episcopal  church.  On  the  northern  border  of 
Nottinghamshire  stands  the  little  town  of  Scrooby.  Here  were 
some  brave  and  honest  people,  to  whom  the  ceremonies  of  the 
Episcopal  or  Established  church  were  an  offense.  They  held 
their  meetings  in  secret,  at  the  house  of  one  of  their  number, 
a  gentleman  named  Brewster.  They  chose  Mr.  Robinson, 
a  wise  and  good  man,  to  be  their  leader  in  spiritual  things. 
But  their  secret  meetings  were  betrayed  to  the  authorities 
and  their  lives  were  made  bitter  by  the  perseciitions  that 
fell  upon  them.  They  resolved  to  leave  their  own  land  and 
seek  among  strangers  that  freedom  which  was  denied  them  at 
home. 

They  embarked  with  all  their  goods  for  Holland.  But  when 
the  ship  was  about  to  sail,  soldiers  came  upon  them,  plundered 
them  and  drove  them  on  shore.  After  some  weeks  in  prison 
they  were  suffered  to  return  home.  Next  Spring  they  tried 
again  to  escape.  This  time  a  good  many  were  on  board,  and 
the  others  were  waiting  for  the  return  of  the  boat,  which  would 
carry  them  to  the  ship.  Suddenly  soldiers  on  horseback  were 
seen  spurring  across  the  sands.  The  shipmaster  weighed  his 
anchor  and  set  sail  with  those  whom  he  had  on  board.  The 
soldiers  conducted  the  remainder  back  to  prison.  After  a  time 
they  were  set  at  liberty.  In  little  groups  they  made  their  way 
to  Holland,  and  thus  they  accomplished  the  first  stage  of  the 
tedious  journey  from  the  old  England  to  the  new.  Here  they 
remained  for  eleven  years,  and  worked  with  patient  industry 
at  their  various  trades.  They  gained  a  reputation  for  honesty 
and  skill  in  all  their  undertakings,  and  thus  they  found 


ISO  THE   HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

abundant  employment.  Mr.  Brewster  established  a  printing 
press  and  printed  books  about  liberty,  which  greatly  enraged 
the  foolish  King  James.  Meanwhile  this  little  band  received 
additions  from  time  to  time,  as  oppression  in  England  became 
more  intolerable.  Still  they  looked  upon  themselves  as  exiles. 
The  language  and  manners  of  the  Dutch  were  not  pleasing  to 
them.  They  did  not  wish  to  lose  their  identity.  Already  their 
sons  and  daughters  were  forming  alliances  that  threatened  this 
result.  They  therefore  determined  to  go  again  on  a  pilgrimage, 
and  seek  a  home  in  the  wilds  of  America ;  where  they  could 
dwell  apart  and  found  a  state,  where  all  should  enjoy  civil  and 
religious  liberty. 

They  collected  their  little  funds  and  procured  two  vessels,  the 
Speedwell,  of  sixty  tons,  and  the  Mayflower,  of  one  hundred 
and  eighty.  The  Speedwell  was  found  to  be  unseaworthy  and 
was  abandoned.  They  had  not  sufficient  funds  for  all  to  come 
at  once.  Brewster  was  placed  in  command  ot  the  company, 
which  was  composed  of  "such  of  the  youngest  and  strongest, 
as  freely  offered  themselves.1'  A  solemn  fast  was  held.  "Let 
us  seek  God,"  said  they,  "a  right  way  for  us,  and  for  our  little 
ones,  and  for  all  our  substance. ' ' 

On  a  sunny  morning  in  July,  1C20,  the  pilgrims  knelt  upon 
the  seashore  at  Delfthaven,  while  their  pastor,  Mr.  Robinson, 
prayed  for  the  success  of  their  journey.  Out  upon  the 
gleaming  sea  a  little  ship  lay  waiting.  Money  was  wanting 
and  so  only  one  hundred  could  depart.  They  left  the  remainder 
with  tears  and  fond  farewells,  to  follow  when  they  could.  Mr. 
Robinson  dismissed  them  with  counsels  which  breathed  a  pure 
and  high-toned  wisdom.  Some  of  the  words  which  he  then 
uttered,  seemed  to  have  a  prophetic  import.  This  will  be  read- 
ily seen  from  the  following  extract : 

"The  Lord  lias  more  truth  yet  to  break  forth  out  of  His 
holy  word.  Luther  and  Calvin  were  great  and  shining  lights 
in  their  times,  yet  they  penetrated  not  into  the  whole  counsel 
of  God.  I  beseech  of  you,  remember  it,  that  you  be  ready  to 
receive  whatever  truth  shall  be  made  known  to  you." 

Who  will  attempt  to  deny  that  God,  through  him,  spake 
words  pregnant  with  a  meaning  that  men  at  that  age  did  not 
understand  ? 


LANDING   OF  THE   PILGRIMS.  1 .5 1 

A  prosperous  wind  soon  wafted  them  across  the  North  sea 
and  they  sighted  the  coast  of  England.  After  considerable 
delay  at  Southampton,  Dartmouth,  and  Plymouth,  the  May- 
flower started  early  in  September  on  her  long  and  lonely  voy- 
age from  the  old  world  to  the  new.  After  a  boisterous  voyage 
of  sixty-three  days  they  espied  land,  and  in  two  days  more 
cast  anchor  in  the  harbor  of  Cape  Cod. 

How  truthful  the  lines, 

"The  heavy  clouds  hung  dark 

The  woods  and  waters  o'er, 
When  a  band  of  exiles  moored  their  bark 

On  the  wild  New  England  shore!" 

It  was  a  bleak-looking  and  discouraging  coast  which  lay 
before  them.  Nothing  met  the  eye  but  low  sand-hills,  covered 
with  stunted  trees  down  to  the  margin  of  the  sea.  At  first 
no  suitable  locality  for  a  settlement  could  be  found ;  but  at 
length  they  selected  a  spot  where  the  soil  appeared  to  be  good, 
with  "delicate  springs  of  water."  On  December  22,  1620,  the 
pilgrims  landed — stepping  ashore  upon  a  huge  bowlder  of 
granite,  which  is  still  preserved  as  a  memorial  of  that  event. 
The  cold  was  so  excessive  that  the  spray  froze  upon  their 
clothes  till  they  resembled  men  cased  in  armor.  They  had 
been  badly  fed  on  board  the  ship,  which,  together  with 
exposure,  caused  sickness  to  prevail  among  them.  Every 
second  day  a  grave  had  to  be  dug  in  the  frozen  ground.  The 
care  of  the  sick  and  the  burying  of  the  dead,  sadly  hindered  their 
work;  but  the  building  of  their  little  town  went  on.  When 
Spring  arrived  there  were  only  fifty  survivors,  and  these  were 
sadly  enfeebled  and  dispirited.  Upon  an  eminence  beside 
their  town  they  erected  a  structure  which  served  a  double  pur- 
pose. The  upper  story  was  used  for  a  fort,  in  which  were 
placed  six  small  cannon.  The  lower  story  served  for  a  meet- 
ing-house and  school-house. 

The  pilgrims  had  already  drawn  up  and  signed  in  the  cabin 
of  the  Mayflower,  a  document  forming  themselves  into  an 
organized  government,  to  which  they  unanimously  promised 
obedience.  Under  this  constitution  they  elected  John  Carver 
to  be  their  first  governor.  It  is  true  they  acknowledged  King 
James,  but  they  left  kno  very  large  place  for  his  authority. 


CONFLICT  IN  ENGLAND.  1  .°>3 

They  had  experienced  what  despotism  was,  and  they  deter- 
mined from  the  first  to  be  a  self-governing  people.  In 
memory  of  the  hospitalities  which  they  had  received  at  the 
last  English  port  from  which  they  had  sailed,  this  colony  took 
the  name  of  Plymouth. 

The  years  which  followed  the  settlement  of  Plymouth  was 
a  time  through  which  good  men  found  it  bitter  to  live. 
Charles  I.,  was  upon  the  throne  of  England.  Willia~m  Laud, 
archbishop  of  Canterbury,  was  the  king's  right-hand  man  for 
dealing  out  persecution.  Whoever  refused  to  perform  the 
religious  ceremonies  commanded  by  Laud  was  forthwith 
imprisoned.  A  Scotch  clergyman  named  Leighton,  was 
publicly  whipped,  branded  on  the  cheek,  had  one  of  his  ears 
cut  off  and  his  nostrils  slit,  for  calling  Laud's  ceremonies  the 
inventions  of  men.  Many  others  were  treated  in  a  similar 
manner.  Meanwhile  John  Hampclen,  the  incorruptible 
patriot,  was  arrested  for  not  paying  an  unlawful  tax.  A 
greater  than  he— his  cousin,  Oliver  Cromwell — was  leading  his 
quiet,  rural  life  at  Huntington,  not  without  many  anxious  and 
indignant  thoughts  about  the  evils  of  his  time.  He  walked 
over  his  fields  and  along  the  streams, 

"Pondering  the  solemn  miracle  of  life 
As  one  who,  wandering  in  a  starless  night, 
Feels  momently  the  jar  of  unseen  wave?, 
And  hears  the  thunder  of  an  unknown  sea 
Breaking  along  an  unimagined  shore. 
And  as  he  walked  he  prayed." 

The  weary  victims  of  this  senseless  persecution  looked  to 
New  England  for  refuge.  The  pilgrims  wrote  to  their  friends 
at  home ;  and  every  letter  was  read  with  interest.  They  had 
hardships  to  tell  of  at  first;  then  they  had  prosperity  and 
comfort ;  always  they  had  liberty!  Every  Summer  a  few  ships 
were  freighted  for  the  settlements.  At  one  time  eight  ships 
lay  in  the  Thames,  with  their  passengers  on  board,  when  the 
order  was  issued,  that  no  one  should  leave  without  the  king's 
permission.  The  soldiers  cleared  the  ships,  and  the  poor 
emigrants  were  driven  back  in  despair  to  endure  the  miseries 
from  which  they  were  so  eager  to  escape.  Among  these  were 
Hampden  and  Cromwell.  Well  would  it  have  been  for  the 


134  THE   HAND   OF   PROVIDENCE. 

king  if  he  had  let  them  go!       But  Grod  had  a  work  for  them 
to  do.     They  were  to  be  the  instruments  in  His  hand 
"To  hurl  down  wrong  from  its  high  seat, 
To  the  poor  and  oppressed,  firm  friends  and  true." 

The  details  of  the  long  war  between  the  king  and  the  people 
we  need  not  here  relate.  The  result  was  the  death  of  the 
unhappy  monarch,  and  another  step  forward  by  the  British 
people  in  the  principles  of  self-government. 

Meanwhile  the  settlements  in  America  continued  to  flourish. 
The  virgin  soil  yielded  abundant  harvests.  From  the  fleece 
of  their  sheep,  and  the  flax  of  their  fields  they  made  a  supply 
of  clothing.  They  felled  the  timber  of  their  boundless  forests, 
and  built  ships  and  sent  away  to  foreign  countries,  the  timber, 
the  fish  and  the  furs  which  were  not  required  at  home. 

They  were  a  noble  people  who  had  thus  begun  to  strike  their 
roots  in  the  great  forests  of  the  west. 

Their  peculiarities  may  indeed  amuse  us ;  as  for  example  the 
strange  names  they  gave  their  children.  Many  of  the  boys  bore 
names  in  memory  of  some  fortunate  circumstance,  or  historical 
event,  as  "Rejoice  in  the  Lord,"  "Pillar  of  Fire, "  "Strength 
of  Israel,"  "Praise  God  Barebones,"  etc.  ;  while  the  girls 
rejoiced  in  such  names  as  "Truth,"  "Temperance,"  "Patience," 
"Chastity,"  and  "Love  the  Lord." 

We  may  smile  at  these  things  ;  yet  the  most  wise  of  all  ages 
will  admire  the  purity  and  earnestness  of  this  people.  They 
brought  with  them  the  love  of  learning.  In  a  very  few  years 
schools  began  to  appear.  Such  means  as  could  be  afforded 
were  freely  given.  Some  tolerably  qualified  brother  was 
"entreated  to  become  the  schoolmaster."  Soon  a  law  was 
passed  that  every  township,  containing  fifty  families,  must 
have  a  common  school.  Harvard  College  was  established 
within  fifteen  years  of  the  landing.  The  founders  of  New 
England  were  men  who  had  known  at  home  the  value  of 
books.  Brewster  carried  with  him  a  library  of  two  hundred 
and  seventy-five  volumes,  and  his  was  not  the  largest  collection 
in  the  colony.  At  that  time  books  were  very  scarce  and 
twenty  times  more  costly  than  they  are  now. 

Twenty-three  years  after  the  landing  of  the  pilgrims,  the 
population  of  New  England  had  grown  to  twenty-four  thou- 


THE   FIRST  CONFEDERATION.  135 

sand.  Forty-nine  little  wooden  towns,  with  their  wooden 
churches,  wooden  forts  and  wooden  ramparts,  were  dotted 
here  and  there  over  the  land.  There  were  then  four  separate 
colonies:  Plymouth,  Massachusetts,  Connecticut  and  New 
Haven.  For  mutual  defense  and  protection  these  colonies 
united  together  and  thus  formed  the  first  confederation  of 
states  on  the  western  continent. 


CHAPTER    XIV. 


THE    CONFLICT    IN    THE    NETHERLANDS. 


DESCRIPTION  OF  HOLLAND — A  LAND  OF  REFUGE — TYRANNY 
OF  ALVA — THE  STRUGGLE  FOR  INDEPENDENCE— SIEGE 
OF  LEYDEN — THE  COUNTRY  SUBMEKGED — FAMINE  IN  THE 
CITY— SPEECH  OF  THE  MAYOR— HEROIC  CONDUCT— TRUST 
IN  GOD — STORM  RAISES  THE  WATERS — SPANIARDS 
RETREAT — LEYDEN  IS  SAVED— THANKSGIVING — WATERS 
RETIRE. 

IN  a  previous  chapter  have  been  described  the  circumstances 
which  led  to  the  colonization  of  Acadia  and  New  Eng- 
land. 

While  these  events  were  transpiring  in  old  England  and 
New  England,  others  of  scarcely  less  importance  were  occurring 
in  Holland,  or  the  Netherlands,  as  it  is  frequently  called,  and 
in  its  colony  of  New  Netherlands.  It  is  a  fact  too  frequently 
forgotten,  that  at  least  three  of  the  thirteen  original  states 
were  colonized  by  Holland.  It  is  true  Pennsylvania  and  Dela- 
ware received  a  few  colonists  from  Sweden  and  Finland,  who 
had  settled  there  to  escape  religious  persecution ;  but  their 
dominions  in  the  new  world  were  not  of  long  duration.  To 
Holland  and  England  belong  the  chief  glory  of  colonizing  the 
lands  embraced  in  the  United  Colonies  of  1776.  The  country 
now  embraced  in  the  states  of  New  York,  New  Jersey  and 


136  THE   HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

Delaware,  received  the  name  of  New  Netherlands,  and  like  the 
inhabitants  of  New  England,  they  were  for  the  most  part  a 
religious  people. 

During  the  fifteenth  and  sixteenth  centuries  Holland  had 
been  the  refuge  of  exiles  from  many  lands.  When  John  Huss 
and  Jerome  of  Prague  fell  under  papal  vengeance,  many  of 
their  followers  there  found  a  home.  When  the  fury  of  perse- 
cution was  raging  against  the  Waldenses,  many  of  them  fled 
to  Holland  for  protection.  After  the  terrible  massacre  of  the 
French  protestants  or  Huguenots,  as  they  were  called,  in  1572, 
many  of  them  took  refuge  in  the  Netherlands.  This  liberty- 
loving  population  was  the  cause  of  that  deadly  hatred  mani- 
fested toward  them  by  the  Duke  of  Alva.  This  insatiate 
monster,  during  his  brief  administration,  caused  more  than 
eighteen  thousand  persons  to  perish  by  the  hand  of  the  execu- 
tioner. His  cruelties  at  length  aroused  the  indignation  of  the 
people,  and  brought  about  those  notable  events  so  well  described 
by  the  historian,  Motley,  in  his  Rise  of  the  Dutch  Republic. 
This  contest  was  one  of  the  most  memorable  in  the  history  of 
the  human  race,  for  in  it  was  clearly  shown  the  wonderful  pro- 
vidence of  God. 

Holland,  as  is  well  known,  is  a  low,  flat  country,  so  low,  in 
fact,  that  the  inhabitants  have  been  obliged  to  build  dykes,  or 
embankments  of  earth,  along  the  coast,  in  order  to  protect  the 
country  from  the  waters  of  the  ocean  during  high  tides  and 
storms.  Were  it  not  for  this  precaution,  Holland  would  fre- 
quently present  the  appearance  of  a  vast,  shallow  bay  or  lake, 
thickly  studded  with  orchards  dwellings  and  cities  half  sub- 
merged in  the  water. 

At  this  time  Holland  was  under  the  dominion  of  Spain.  The 
tyranny  of  Alva,  the  governor,  provoked  the  people  to  resist- 
ance, and  King  Philip  sent  an  army  from  Spain  to  enforce 
submission.  Rather  than  longer  endure  this  oppression, 
the  brave  Hollanders  resolved  to  achieve  their  independence  or 
perish  in  the  attempt.  The  fortifications  of  their  country  were 
few,  but,  in  one  respect,  they  held  the  keys  of  the  ocean.  They 
opened  the  flood-gates  of  the  dykes  and  prepared  to  submerge 
the  country  when  the  first  storm  should  come.  Meanwhile 
the  Spaniards  were  besieging  Leyden,  and  if  that  city  fell,  the 


SIEGE   OF   LEYDEN.  137 

conquest  of  the  country  would  inevitably  follow.  The  Hol- 
landers well  knew  that  the  ocean  would  damage  their  fields 
and  destroy  their  growing  crops,  but  they  preferred  the  chances 
of  starvation  to  an  indiscriminate  massacre. 

Leyden  was  situated  twenty  miles  inland.  It  was  impossible 
to  bring  Leyden  to  the  ocean.  They  prayed  that  God  would  aid 
their  efforts  to  bring  the  ocean  to  Leyden.  Meantime  the 
besieged  city  was  at  its  last  gasp.  At  the  dawn  of  each  day 
the  brave  defenders  turned  their  eyes  toward  the  vanes  of  the 
church  steeples,  that  they  might  ascertain  the  direction  of  the 
wind.  So  long  as  an  easterly  wind  prevailed,  they  felt  that 
they  must  look  in  vain  for  the  welcome  ocean.  Yet,  while  thus 
patiently  waiting,  they  were  literally  starving.  Such  was  the 
condition  of  Leyden  on  the  llth  of  September,  1574.  The 
commander  of  the  Dutch  fleet,  Admiral  Boisot,  had  constructed 
a  number  of  flat  boats,  by  which  he  hoped  to  be  able  to  bring 
provisions  and  munitions  of  war  to  the  besieged  city.  But  a  week 
elapsed  after  the  opening  of  the  dykes,  and  no  storm  nor  high 
tide  had  come  to  force  the  ocean  inland.  The  flotilla  of  boats 
now  lay  motionless  in  shallow  water,  having  accomplished  less 
than  two  miles.  Everything  wore  a  gloomy  aspect;  still  the 
hearts  of  the  patriots  were  lifted  to  God  in  prayer.  On  the 
18th  the  wind  shifted  to  the  north-west,  and  for  three  days 
blew  a  gale.  The  waters  rose  rapidly,  and  before  the  second 
was  closed,  the  flat  boats  were  again  afloat.  Onward  the  boats 
flew  before  the  breeze,  and  soon  arrived  at  the  villages  of  Zoe- 
termeer  and  Benthuyzen.  A  strong  force  of  Spaniards  were 
stationed  at  each  place,  but  they  were  astonished  to  see  these 
brave  and  liberty-loving  men,  sailing  on  a  sea,  where  a  few  hours 
before,  was  dry  and  solid  land.  Some  of  their  officers  even 
asked  in  amazement,  "was  it  true  that  God  and  the  elements 
were  going  to  fight  against  them?"  Few  things  are  more 
appalling  to  the  imagination  than  the  rising  ocean  tide,  when 
man  feels  himself  within  its  power.  The  Spanish  soldiers  saw 
the  waters  deepening  and  closing  around  them,  and,  as  it  were, 
devouring  the  earth  beneath  their  feet,  while  on  the  waves  rode 
a  flotilla,  manned  by  a  liberty-loving  and  determined  race, 
whose  courage  was  known  throughout  the  world.  No  wonder 
the  Spaniards  were  seized  with  a  panic  and  fled  precipitately. 


138  THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

Behind  them  came  the  roaring  tide ;  and  thousands  sank 
beneath  the  deepening  flood.  In  a  few  hours  the  flotilla  had 
arrived  at  North  Aa,  from  whence  Admiral  Boiset  sent,  on 
September  28th,  a  carrier  pigeon  with  a  letter  of  encourage- 
ment to  the  famished  inhabitants  of  Leyden. 

As  time  passed  on,  the  mortality  in  the  city  became  fright- 
ful. Mothers  dropped  dead  in  the  streets  with  their  dead 
children  in  their  arms.  A  terrible  plague,  engendered  by  hard- 
ships and  famine,  was  sweeping  away  the  people  like  grass 
before  the  the  scythe.  From  six  to  eight  thousand  human 
beings  sank  before  this  scourge  alone,  yet  the  people  resolutely 
held  out — women  and  men  mutually  encouraging  each  other 
to  resist  the  entrance  of  the  foreign  foe — an  evil  more  horrible 
than  pest  or  famine.  The  heroism  of  the  Hollanders  towered 
to  sublimity.  True  a  few  of  the  faint-hearted  ene  day  assailed 
the  mayor  of  Leyden,  the  heroic  Adrian  Yan  der  Werf,  with 
threats  and  reproaches  as  he  passed  through  the  streets.  He 
stepped  to  one  side  and  mounted  the  steps  of  the  church  of 
St.  Pancras.  There  he  stood,  a  tall,  haggard,  imposing  figure, 
with  dark  visage,  and  a  tranquil,  but  commanding  eye.  He 
waved  his  broad-brimmed  hat  for  silence,  and  then  exclaimed : 
"What  would  ye,  my  friends?  Why  do  ye  murmur  that  we  do 
not  break  our  vows  and  surrender  the  city  to  the  Spaniards? 
— a  fate  more  horrible  than  the  agony  which  she  now  endures. 
1  tell  you,  I  have  made  an  oath  to  hold  the  city,  and  may  God 
give  me  strength  to  keep  my  oath  !  I  can  die  but  once ;  whether 
by  your  hands,  the  enemy's,  or  by  the  hand  of  God  My  own 
fate  is  indifferent  to  me,  not  so  that  of  the  city  entrusted  to  my 
care.  I  know  that  we  shall  starve  if  not  soon  relieved ;  but 
starvation  is  preferable  to  the  dishonored  death  which  is  our 
only  alternative.  Your  menaces  move  me  not ;  my  life  is  at 
your  disposal,  here  is  my  sword,  plunge  it  into  my  breast,  and 
divide  my  flesh  among  you.  Take  my  body  to  appease  your 
hunger,  but  expect  no  surrender,  so  long  as  I  remain 
alive. ' ' 

The  words  of  the  firm,  old  mayor,  inspired  a  new  courage  in 
the  hearts  of  those  who  heard  him,  and  a  shout  of  applause 
and  defiance  arose  from  the  famishing,  but  enthusiastic  crowd. 
After  exchanging  new  vows  of  fidelity  with  their  magistrate, 


WATERS   RAISED   BY  A   STORM.  139 

they  left  the  place  and  again  ascended  tower  and  battlement  to 
watch  for  the  coming  fleet. 

From  the  ramparts  they  hurled  renewed  defiance  at  the 
enemy.  "Ye  call  us  rat-eaters  and  dog-eaters,"  they  cried, 
"and  it  is  true.  So  long  then,  as  ye  hear  dog  bark,  or  cat  mew, 
within  the  walls  of  the  city,  ye  may  know  that  it  still  holds 
out.  And  when  all  has  perished  but  ourselves,  be  sure  that  we 
will  each  devour  our  left  arms,  retaining  our  right  ro  defend 
our  women,  our  liberty  and  our  religion,  against  the  foreign 
tyrant.  Should  God,  in  His  providence,  deny  us  all  relief, 
even  then  will  we  maintain  ourselves  against  your  entrance. 
When  the  last  hour  has  come,  with  our  own  hands  we  will  set 
fire  to  the  city  and  perish,  men,  women  and  children,  together 
in  the  flames,  rather  than  suffer  our  homes  to  be  polluted  and 
our  liberties  to  be  crushed." 

The  Spaniards  shouted  back  derisively :  "As  well  can  the 
prince  of  Orange  pluck  down  the  stars  from  the  sky  as'  bring 
the  ocean  to  the  walls  of  Leyden  for  your  relief."  But  they 
had  forgotten  that  "prayer  moves  the  arm  that  moves  the 
world;"  that  He,  whom  the  winds  and  seas  obey, 
and  who  holds  the  tempests  as  in  the  hollow  of  his  hand, 
had  heard  the  cry  of  that  patient  and  persecuted  people, 
and  was  sending  the  darkness  and  the  storm,  to  sweep  away 
their  enemies  as  with  the  besom  of  destruction. 

When  the  stoutest  hearts  began  to  fail,  the  tempest  came 
again  to  their  relief.  A  violent  gale,  on  the  night  of  the  1st 
of  October,  came  storming  from  the  north-west,  shifting  after 
a  few  hours,  and  then  blowing  still  more  violently  from  the  south- 
west. The  waters  of  the  North  sea  were  piled  in  vast  masses 
upon  the  southern  coast,  and  then  dashed  furiously  land-ward. 
The  waters  rose  higher  than  ever  before  known,  and  swept 
with  unobstructed  iury  across  the  ruined  dykes.  The  fleet  of 
flat-boats  at  North  Aa,  was  no  longer  stranded.  At  midnight, 
amidst  the  storm  and  darkness,  Admiral  Boisot  gave  orders  to 
advance.  A  few  sentinels  challenged  them  as  they  swept  by 
the  village  of  Zoeterwoude.  The  answer  was  a  flash  from 
Boisot 's  cannon,  lighting  the  dark,  wild  waste  of  waters. 
Then  came  a  fierce  naval  midnight  battle.  It  was  a  strange 
spectacle  among  the  branches  of  those  quiet  orchards  arid 


140  THE   HAND   OPlPROVIDENCE. 

chimney  stacks  of  half  submerged  farm-houses.  Swiftly  the 
fleet  sailed  on  over  the  waters  between  Zoeterwoude  and 
Zwieten.  As  they  approached  shallows  the  sailors  dashed  into 
the  sea  and  literally  shouldered  the  vessels  through.  These 
forts  and  that  of  Lammen  might  have  proved  serious  obstacles, 
had  not  the  panic,  which  had  hitherto  driven  their  foes  before 
the  advancing  patriots,  come  again  to  their  relief. 

A  long  procession  of  lights  was  seen  to  flit  across  the  black 
face  of  the  waters,  in  the  dead  of  night.  The  Spaniards  had 
fled  precipitately  along  a  road  which  led  in  a  westerly  direction 
toward  the  Hague.  Their  narrow  path  was  rapidly  vanishing 
in  the  waves,  and  hundreds  sank  in  the  constantly  deepening 
flood,  to  rise  no  more. 

The  morning  dawned,  but  all  was  calm  and  still  around  the 
city  of  Leyden.  The  hand  of  (rod  which  had  sent  the  ocean 
and  tjie  tempest  for  her  deliverance,  had  likewise  struck  her 
enemies  with  terror.  The  lights  which  had  been  seen  during 
the  night,  were  lanterns  of  the  retreating  Spaniards.  The  suc- 
coring fleet  sailed  victoriously  into  the  city  on  the  morning  of 
the  3rd  of  October,  1 574.  Bread  was  freely  given  to  the  poor 
creatures,  who  for  months  had  tasted  no  wholesome  human 
food.  When  the  admiral  stepped  on  shore  a  procession  was 
formed  consisting  of  citizens,  sailors,  soldiers,  women  and 
children.  They  repaired  to  the  great  cathedral ;  and  they  who 
had  been  firm  in  their  resistance  to  an  earthly  tyrant,  now 
bowed  in  humble  gratitute  before  the  King  of  kings.  After 
prayers  the  whole,  vast  congregation,  joined  in  the  thanks- 
giving hymn.  Thousands  of  voices  raised  the  song,  but  few 
were  able  to  carry  it  to  its  conclusion,  for  the  universal  emotion, 
deepened  by  the  music,  became  too  full  for  utterance.  The 
hymn  was  abruptly  suspended  while  the  multitude  wept  like 
children. 

"On  the  following  day,  the  4th  of  October,  the  wind  shifted 
to  the  north-east,  and  again  blew  a  tempest.  It  was  as  if  the 
waters,  having  now  done  their  work,  had  been  rolled  back  to 
the  ocean  by  an  Omnipotent  hand,  for  in  the  course  of  a  few 
days  the  land  was  bare  again,  and  the  work  of  reconstructing 
the  dykes  commenced. ' ' 


RESULT  OF  THE  STRUGGLE  FOR  LIBERTY.  141 

From  this  terrible  ordeal  came  out  many  illustrious  charac- 
ters. Its  results  tended  to  civil  and  religious  liberty,  as  well  as 
the  great  principle  of  federal  union  which  has  since  been 
carried  out  to  such  a  wonderful  extent.  These  principles  the 
Dutch  emigrants  brought  with  them ;  and  when  a  few  years 
afterwards  their  settlements  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  English 
they  were  already  assimilated  to  the  ideas  prevailing  in  the  New 
England  colonies. 


CHAPTER     XV. 


EARLY     COLONIAL      HISTORY. 


RISE  OF  QUAKERISM— GEORGE  FOX— WILLIAM  PENN— FOUNDS 
PENNSYLVANIA— KINDNESS  TO  THE  INDIANS — PHILA- 
DELPHIA FOUNDED— MARYLAND,  CAROLINA  AND 
GEORGIA  SETTLED— ROGER  AVILLIAMS — RHODE  ISLAND 
FOUNDED — ITS  TOLERATION. 

THE  history  of  Pennsylvania  as  a  distinct  colony  began  in 
1682.  Its  founder,  William  Penn,  was  the  son  of 
Admiral  Penn,  who  had  gained  many  victories  for  England 
and  enjoyed  the  favor  of  the  king,  as  well  as  of  the  great 
statesmen  of  his  time.  At  this  time  there  was  in  England  a 
numerous  sect  called  Quakers.  Some  of  their  principles  Were 
true,  and  most  of  them  were  far  in  advance  of  the  opinions 
generally  entertained  in  that  age. 

The  rise  of  the  people  called  Quakers  is  one  of  the  memor- 
able events  in  the  history  of  man.  It  marks  the  moment 
when  intellectual  freedom  was  claimed  by  the  people  as  an 
inalienable  right.  The  sect  had  its  birth  in  a  period  of  intense 
national  activity,  when  zeal  for  reform  was  invading  all  ranks 
of  society,  and  even  subverting  the  throne.  Its  creed  was 
summed  up  in  one  short  phrase,  "The  inner  light  or  voice  of 
God  in  the  soul."  Their  leader,  George  Fox.  professed  to 


142  THE   HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

have  visions  from  heaven.  Having  listened  to  the  revelation 
which  had  been  made  to  his  soul,  he  thirsted  for  a  reform  in 
every  branch  of  learning.  The  physician  and  the  scientist 
should  quit  their  strife  of  unintelligible  words  and  solve  the 
appearances  of  nature  by  an  intimate  study  of  the  laws  of 


being.  The  lawyers  should  abandon  their  deceit  and  seek  to 
establish  justice  among  men  according  to  the  teachings  of  the 
Savior.  And  the  priests  should  cease  to  preach  for  hire,  and 
seek  God  in  prayer  as  the  oracle  of  all  truth. 


GEORGE  FOX.  14,'} 

No  wonder  there  was  a  great  commotion.  In  Lancaster, 
forty  priests  appeared  against  him  at  once.  Nothing  could 
daunt  his  enthusiasm.  When  cast  into  jail  among  felons,  he 
claimed  of  the  public  tribunals  a  release,  only  to  continue  his 
exertions.  If  cruelly  beaten,  or  set  in  the  stocks,  or  ridiculed 
as  mad,  he  none  the  less  proclaimed  the  principles  of  his 
faith.  When  driven  from  the  church,  he  preached  in  the 
open  air;  when  refused  shelter  at  a  private  dwelling t>f  Bum- 
ble tavern,  he  slept  without  fear  under  a  haystack. 

His  fame  increased ;  crowds  gathered  like  flocks  of  pigeons 
to  hear  him.  His  voice  and  frame  in  prayer  are  described  as 
the  most  awful  and  reverent  ever  felt  or  seen.  His  clear  con- 
victions and  glowing  thoughts  delivered  in  plain  words  made 
him  powerful  among  the  masses  and  the  terror  of  the  priests 
in  public  discussions  to  which  he  defied  the  world.  By 
degrees  "the  hypocrites,"  as  the  historian  Barclay  called 
them,  feared  to  dispute  with  him.  The  simplicity  of  the 
truth  he  uttered  and  the  plainness  of  his  speech  found  such 
ready  acceptance  among  the  people,  "that  the  priests  trembled 
and  scud  as  he  drew  near,  so  that  it  was  a  dreadful  thing  to 
them  when  it  was  told  them,  'The  man  in  leathern  breeches 
is  come. '  ' 

Far  from  rejecting  Christianity,  the  Quakers  insisted  that 
they  alone  followed  its  primitive  simplicity.  They  believed  in 
the  unity  of  truth ;  that  there  can  be  no  contradiction  between 
correct  reason  and  revelation  ;  and  that  the  Holy  Spirit  is  the 
guide  that  leads  into  all  truth.  The  Quakers  read  the  Bible 
not  with  idolatry  but  with  delight,  for  in  there  own  souls  they 
had  a  testimony  that  it  was  true.  "The  scriptures,"  says  Bar- 
clay, "are  not  religion  but  a  record  of  it ;  a  declaration  of  the 
fountain,  but  not  the  fountain  itself."  In  reading  a  record 
of  those  times  it  might  appear  to  one  that  (rod  was  then  ready 
to  restore  His  Priesthood  and  set  up  His  kingdom  on  the 
earth.  But  mankind  were  not  yet  ready  nor  was  there  a  fit 
place  in  all  the  inhabited  countries  of  the  world  for  its  estab- 
lishment. 

The  well-known  William  Penn  joined  this  sect,  and  by  this 
act  greatly  provoked  his  father's  displeasure.  Like  Moses  of 
old  he  refused  the  favors  and  honors  of  the  monarch,  choosing 


144 


THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 


WILLIAM  PENN.  145 

rather  to  obey  what  he  considered  to  be  the  truth  than  to 
enjoy  all  the  pomp  and  pleasures  of  the  world.  Space  will  not 
permit  us  to  relate  the  story  of  his  sufferings  while  an  exile 
from  his  father's  home;  how  he  traveled  to  and  fro  on  the 
continent  of  Europe,  from  the  Weser  to  the  Main,  from  the 
Rhine  to  the  Danube,  distributing  tracts,  preaching  to  princes 
and  to  peasants,  and  rebuking  every  attempt  to  enthrall  the 
mind  of  man.  Before  he  had  reached  the  age  of  twenty-five, 
he  had  thrice  suffered  unjust  imprisonment.  To  the  king's 
messenger,  who  asked  him  to  recant,  he  heroically  replied, 
li  Club-law  may  make  hypocrites,  it  never  can  make  converts." 
Single  handed  and  alone  he  plead  his  cause  before  the  high- 
est courts  of  England.  In  vain  did  wicked  men  endeavor  to 
construe  the  laws  of  England  to  his  injury.  After  a  tedious 
trial  he  was  at  length  acquitted,  though  the  jurymen  were 
fined  forty  marks  apiece  for  not  bringing  in  a  verdict  of  guilty. 
His  constancy  called  forth  the  admiration  of  his  father.  "Son 
William,"  said  the  dying  admiral,  "if  you  and  your  friends 
keep  to  your  plain  way  of  preaching  and  living,  you  will  make 
an  end  of  the  priests." 

At  the  admiral's  death,  William  succeeded  to  his  father's 
possessions.  It  deeply  grieved  him  that  his  Quaker  brethren 
should  endure  such  wrongs  as  were  continually  heaped  upon 
them.  He,  therefore,  formed  the  design  of  leading  them  forth 
to  America.  The  king  had  owed  Penn's  father  sixteen  thou- 
sand pounds,  nearly  equal  to  eighty  thousand  dollars  of  our 
money.  Penn  offered  to  relinquish  this  claim  for  a  grant  of 
land;  and  the  king  readily  bestowed  upon  him  a  vast  region, 
stretching  west  from  the  river  Delaware,  to  which  was  given 
the  name  of  Pennsylvania.  Here  Penn  proposed  to  found  a 
state,  free  and  self-governing.  He  claimed  it  to  be  his  highest 
ambition  "to  make  men  as  free  and  happy  as  they  can  be. " 
When  he  arrived,  he  proclaimed  to  the  people  that  he  wished 
them  to  be  governed  by  laws  of  their  own  making.  He  was 
as  good  as  his  word.  The  people  elected  their  own  representa- 
tives by  whom  a  constitution  was  framed,  and  Penn  signed  this 
charter  of  their  liberties. 

Penn  also  dealt  justly  and  kindly  with  the  Indians,  and  they 
showed  a  love  for  him  such  as  they  bestowed  on  no  other  Eng- 

6** 


146  TttE  BAND  Oi<  MOVffiBMCB. 

lishmaii.  Soon  aftet  his  arrival,  hd  invited  the  chief  men  of 
the  Indian  tribes  to  a  conference.  The  meeting  took  place 
beneath  a  huge  elm-tree.  The  ancient  forest  had  long  given 
way  to  the  houses  and  streets  of  Philadelphia;  but  a  monu- 
ment still  points  out  to  the  stranger  the  scene  of  this  inter- 
view They  met,  Penn  assured  them,  "on  the  broad  pathway 
of  good  faith  and  good  will.  All  was  to  be  openness  and  love. ' ' 
And  Penn  meant  what  he  said.  Strong  in  the  power  of  truth 
and  kindness,  he  bent  the  fierce  savages  of  the  Delaware  tribe 
to  his  will.  They  vowed  to  live  in  love  with  William  Penn  and 
his  children  as  long  as  the  moon  and  the  sun  should  endure. 
Long  years  after,  aged  Indians  were  accustomed  to  come  from 
the  distant  forests  and  recount  with  deep  emotion  the  words 
that  Penn  had  spoken  to  them  under  the  old  elm-tree. 

The  fame  of  Penn's  settlements  went  abroad  in  all  lands. 
An  asylum  was  opened  for  the  good  and  oppressed  of  every 
nation.  Grave  and  God-fearing  men  from  all  the  Protestant 
countries  of  Europe  sought  a  home  where  they  might  live  as 
conscience  taught  them. 

"For  here  the  exiles  met  from  every  clime, 

And  spoke  in  friendship  every  distant  tongue; 

Men,  from  the  blood  of  warring  Europe  sprung, 
Were  but  divided  by  the  running  brook; 

And  happy  where  no  Rhenish  trumpet  sung, 
The  blue-eyed  German  changed  his  sword  to 

pruning-hook." 

The  new  colony  grew  apace.  During  the  first  year  twenty- 
two  vessels  arrived,  bringing  two  thousand  persons.  In 
three  years  Philadelphia  was  a  town  of  six  hundred  houses. 
Thus  did  Penn  prove  himself  a  benefactor  to  his  race.  May 
we  not  also  consider  him  an  instrument  in  the  hands  of  God 
for  the  execution  of  His  purposes? 

Meanwhile  Maryland  had  been  colonized  by  Catholics  under 
Lord  Baltimore,  in  1634.  The  first  colonists  were  exiles  who 
fied  here  to  escape  persecution  in  their  native  land.  Let  it 
also  be  said  to  their  credit  that  they  were  the  first  who 
embodied  in  their  laws  complete  religious  toleration. 

A  few  scattering  colonists  had  settled  within  the  boundaries 
of  the  Carolinas  as  early  as  1653,  and  these  colonies  also  became 
a  refuge  for  the  Huguenots  of  France. 


ROttER  WILLIAMS.  147 

Lastly  Georgia  was  colonized,  in  1732,  by  the  English  phil- 
anthrophist  James  Oglethorpe ;  and  it  also  became  an  asylum 
and  a  refuge  for  the  deserving  poor. 

Had  these  states  been  colonized  immediately  after  the 
discovery  of  America,  they  must  inevitably  have  brought 
with  them  the  institutions  of  Catholic  Europe.  Such,  for 
example,  as  still  characterize  the  civilization  of  Mexico.  Even 
had  they  been  colonized  a  century  earlier,  the  colonists  would 
not  have  been  disciplined  sufficiently  in  the  principles  of  civil 
liberty  to  have  built  up  free  and  self-governing  states. 

Who  does  not  see  a  divine  providence — a  marvelous  wisdom 
in  all  this? 

Though  the  pilgrims  had  left  their  native  lands,  that  they 
might  enjoy  the  liberty  to  worship  God  in  the  way  which  they 
deemed  right;  yet  they  had  not  discovered  that  people  who 
differed  from  them  were  as  well  entitled  to  be  tolerated  as 
they  themselves  were.  Simple  as  it  seems  there  are  many  to 
this  day  who  have  not  found  out  that  every  one  is  entitled  to 
think  for  himself. 

One  day  there  stepped  ashore  at  Boston,  a  young  man 
named  Roger  Williams.  He  was  a  man  of  culture  and  refine- 
ment, a  lover  of  truth  and  justice,  a  man  of  rare  virtue  and 
power.  He  had  been  an  intimate  friend  of  Cromwell  and 
Milton,  in  the  bright  days  of  the  poet's  youth.  Williams 
brought  to  America  what  was  then  considered  strange  opinions. 
Long  thought  had  satisfied  him  that  "in  regard  to  religious 
belief  and  worship  man  is  responsible  to  God  alone." 

New  England  society  was  not  sufficiently  advanced  to  receive 
such  sentiments.  Williams  had  become  minister  at  Salem  where 
he  was  held  in  high  esteem.  In  time  his  opinions  drew  upon 
him  the  unfavorable  notice  of  the  authorities;  and  he  was 
brought  to  trial  before  the  general  court  of  Massachusetts. 
His  townsmen  and  congregation  deserted  him.  His  poor  wife 
reproached  him  bitterly  for  the  evil  he  was  bringing  on  his 
family.  Still  he  was  firm  and  continued  to  testify  against  the 
soul-oppression  he  saw  around  him.  At  length  the  court 
declared  him  guilty  and  pronounced  against  him  the  sentence 
of  banishment.  All  honor  to  this  brave  and  good  man  !  He, 
of  all  the  men  of  his  time,  saw  most  clearly  the  beauty  of 


148  THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

absolute  freedom  in  matters  of  conscience.  He  cheerfully  left 
his  home  and  wandered  in  the  wilderness.  During  the  part 
of  one  winter  he  lived  with  Massasoit,  the  Indian  chief,  who 
befriended  him  and  gave  him  a  grant  of  land,  now  included  in 
the  state  of  Rhode  Island.  Here  he  laid  out  a  city  which  he 
called  Providence,  in  grateful  recognition  of  the  power  which 
had  guided  his  steps.  To-day  it  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
and  thrifty  cities  in  the  United  States. 

Roger  Williams  cherished  a  very  forgiving  spirit  towards 
those  who  sent  him  into. exile.  Learning  that  the  Indians 
were  planning  the  destruction  of  the  Massachusetts  colony,  he 
boldly  went  among  the  Indians  and  dissuaded  them  from  their 
purpose.  Thus  did  this  good  man  put  his  life  in  peril  for  his 
enemies. 

Providence  Plantation,  as  it  was  called,  became  a  shelter  for 
all  who  were  distressed  for  conscience  sake ;  and  so  it  has  con- 
tinued to  the  present  time.  Rhode  Island  has  no  record  of 
persecution  in  her  history.  Massachusetts  continued  to  drive 
out  misbelievers.  Rhode  Island  took  them  in.  When  Massa- 
chusetts was  convulsed  with  supposed  witchcraft  and  the 
horrors  of  witch-burning,  Rhode  Island  gave  no  heed  to  such 
delusions.  In  after  years,  Roger  Williams  became  the  presi- 
dent of  the  colony  which  he  had  founded. 

The  neighboring  states  were  at  that  time  severely  punishing 
the  Quakers  with  the  lash,  branding-iron  and  imprisonment ; 
and  they  invited  Rhode  Island  to  join  in  the  persecution.  Mr. 
Williams  replied  that  he  "had  no  law  to  punish  any  man  for 
his  belief."  He  was  opposed  to  the  doctrines  of  the  Quakers. 
In  his  seventy-third  year  he  rowed  thirty  miles  in  an  open  boat 
to  wage  a  public  debate  against  them.  In  this  manner,  and 
this  only,  would  he  resist  the  progress  of  opinions  which  he 
deemed  pernicious.  Thus  to  the  end  of  his  life  stood  forth 
this  good  man's  loyality  to  the  absolute  liberty  of  the  human 
conscience.  From  the  foregoing,  we  may  get  some  idea  of  the 
moral  and  social  condition  of  England  and  her  colonies  during 
the  latter  part  of  the  seventeenth  century. 


CONDITION   OF  ENGLISH  SOCIETY.  149 


CHAPTER   XVI. 


MODERN  ENGLAND  AND  HER  COLONIES. 


CONDITION  OF  ENGLISH  SOCIETY — MANUFACTURE  OF  GIN 
AND  RUM — ORIGIN  OF  METHODISM— ELOQUENCE  OF 
WHITFIELD — JOHN  AND  CHARLES  WESLEY — REMARK- 
ABLE TEACHINGS— ROBERT  RAIKES — JOHN  HOWARD — 
WILLIAM  WILBERFORCE — MECHANICAL  INVENTIONS — 
GROWTH  OF  AMERICAN  FREEDOM — THREE  GREAT  BAT- 
TLES— COOK'S  VOYAGES — EXTENSION  OF  THE  ENGLISH 
LANGUAGE — GREATNESS  OF  PITT — WASHINGTON'S  EARLY 
LIFE — BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

"Westward  the  course  of  empire  takes  its  way." 

FROM  the  first  settling  of  the  North  American  colonies, 
the  relations  between  Europe  and  America  were  such  that 
every  great  revolution  occurring  in  the  parent  country  had  its 
due  effect  in  the  colonies. 

In  1688,  just  sixty-eight  years  after  the  sailing  of  the  pil- 
grims, another  ^famous  departure  took  place  from  the  coast  of 
Holland.  It  was  that  of  William,  prince  of  Orange,  coming 
to  deliver  England  from  tyranny,  and  give  a  new  course  to 
English  history.  A  powerful  fleet  and  army  sailed  with  the 
prince,  the  wicked  and  foolish  King  James  fled  from  the 
people  he  had  so  long  misruled,  and  William,  prince  of 
Orange,  with  Mary  his  wife,  were  proclaimed  joint  king  and 
queen  of  England. 

With  the  revolution  of  1688,  a  new  spirit  appears  in  Eng- 
land. Hitherto  English  philosophy  and  literature  were  almost 
unknown  upon  the  continent.  It  was  only  after  the  revolution 
that  we  hear  of  foreigners  visiting  England,  learning  English 
and  seeking  to  understand  English  life  and  character.  Thus 
on  the  eve  of  the  eighteenth  century  English  ideas  took  a 


150  THE  HAND  OF  PROVIDENCE, 

great  stride  forward.  The  people  instead  of  the  king  became 
the  virtual  rulers  of  the  nation. 

The  preceding  age  had  done  its  work.  It  had  given  to  the 
world  the  philosophy  of  Newton,  the  literature  of  Shakspeare, 
and  Addison,  Pope  and  Swift,  the  political  agitation  of  Crom- 
well, and  the  colonization  of  America.  The  avenues  of  know- 
ledge were  thus  opened  to  the  masses.  Even  the  dullest  and 
most  backward  minds  began  to  have  notions  of  literature  and 
the  discoveries  of  science.  The  ancient  forms  of  royalty  and 
chivalry  had  lost  their  prestige  and  stood  in  the  shacly  back- 
ground of  the  past.  A  new  world  of  citizens  henceforth 
occupies  the  ground,  attracts  the  gaze,  imposes  its  ideas  on 
the  public  manners  and  stamps  its  image  on  the  minds  of  men. 
In  1709  appeared  the  first  newspaper,  a  sheet  as  big  as  a  man's 
hand  which  the  editor  did  not  know  how  to  fill.  At  the  present 
time  there  are  more  than  1,000,000,000  copies  of  newspapers 
published  in  the  English  language  annually,  many  of  which 
contain  more  reading  matter  in  a  single  number  than  the  whole 
New  Testament  scriptures.  With  the  increase  of  intelligence 
the  power  of  the  people  began  to  be  felt. 

Increased  intelligence  brought  political  reforms,  and  these 
in  turn  were  followed  by  a  reform  in  morals  and  manners. 
During  the  reign  of  the  Stuarts  the  morals  of  the  people  had 
been  extremely  low.  As  an  illustration  might  be  mentioned 
the  disrespect  shown  to  the  clergy.  A  parish  priest  was  only 
permitted  to  dine  at  the  second  table,  after  his  superiors  (?) 
had  been  served.  He  might  fill  himself  with  .the  beef  and 
cabbage,  but  did  not  dare  to  touch  the  better  dishes  until 
invited  to  do  so  by  the  hostess.  A  law  had  been  passed 
during  the  reign  of  Charles  II.,  that  no  clergyman  should 
marry  a  servant-girl  without  the  consent  of  her  mistress. 
Most  of  the  prominent  statesmen  during  the  previous  half 
century  were  unbelievers  in  any  form  of  religion.  Such  were 
the  irreligious  tendencies  of  the  age,  that  drunkenness  and  foul 
talk  were  considered  no  reproach  to  Robert  Walpole,  prime 
minister  of  England.  Purity  of  life  was  sneered  at  by  the 
nobility  as  "out  of  fashion."  For  example,  Lord  Chesterfield, 
in  his  letters  to  his  son  (which  were  designed  for  publication), 


ELOQUENCE  OF  WHtTJMEM).  151 

instructs  him  in  the  art  of  seduction,  as  part  of  a  polite 
education. 

At  the  lower  end  of  the  social  scale  lay  the  masses  of  the 
extremely  poor.  They  were  ignorant  and  brutal  to  a  degree 
which  it  is  hard  to  conceive.  The  manufacture  of  gin  and 
rum  had  been  discovered  in  1684;  and  intemperance  overran 
the  nation  as  a  plague.  Tavern-keepers,  on  their  sign-boards, 
invited  the  people  to  come  and  get  drunk  for  a  penny.  *For 
two  pence  they  might  get  dead  drunk,  and  have  "a  place  to  lie 
down  with  no  charge  for  straw. ' '  Much  of  this  social  degre- 
dation  was  due,  without  doubt,  to  the  apathy  and  sloth  of  the 
religious  teachers. 

Such  was  the  condition  of  society  when  a  remarkable 
religious  revival  began  in  a  small  knot  of  Oxford  students, 
whose  revolt  against  the  wickedness  of  the  times  expressed 
itself  in  enthusiastic  religious  worship  and  an  austere  and 
methodical  regularity  of  life,  that  gave  them  the  nickname  of 
"Methodists." 

Of  these  students,  three  soon  attracted  special  attention 
by  their  religious  fervor  and  even  extravagance.  One  of  these, 
George  Whitfield,  became  the  greatest  orator.  His  voice  was 
soon  heard  in  the  wildest  and  most  barbarous  corners  of  the 
land,  among  the  bleak  moors  of  Northumberland,  in  the  dens 
of  London,  and  in  the  dark  and  gloomy  mines  of  Cornwall. 
Whitfield's  preaching  was  such  as  England  had  never  heard 
before,  theatrical,  extavagant,  sometimes  common-place,  but 
winning  favor  by  its  earnestness  and  deep  tremulous  sympathy 
for  the  sins  and  sorrows  of  mankind. 

He  was  no  common  enthusiast  who  could  so  eloquently  plead 
the  cause  of  the  erring  and  unfortunate  as  to  draw  out  the  last 
cent  from  the  cool  and  calculating  Franklin,  and  command 
admiration  from  the  fastidious  and  skeptical  Horace  Walpole ; 
or  who  could  look  down,  from  the  top  of  a  green  knoll  at 
Kingswood,  on  twenty  thousand  colliers,  grimy  from  the  Bristol 
coal-pits,  and  see  as  he  preached,  the  tears  making  white 
channels  down  their  blackened  cheeks. 

On  the  rough  and  ignorant  masses  to  whom  they  spoke,  the 
effects  of  Whitfield  and  his  co-workers  were  mighty  both  for 
good  and  ill.  Their  preaching  stirred  a  passionate  hatred  in 


152  THE  HAND  OF  PROVIDENCE. 

the  hearts  of  their  opponents.  Their  lives  were  often  in 
danger;  they  were  mobbed,  ducked,  stoned  and  smothered 
with  filth ;  but  the  enthusiasm  they  aroused  among  their  fol- 
lowers was  equally  intense. 

Very  important  to  the  cause  was  Charles  Wesley,  a  student 
at  Oxford,  who  came  as  the  sweet  singer  of  the  movement. 
His  hymns  expressed  the  fiery  zeal  of  its  converts,  in  lines  so 
chaste  and  beautiful  that  many  of  the  cultured  classes  were 
numbered  among  the  adherents  of  the  movement. 

But  most  important  of  all  was  the  elder  brother,  John 
Wesley,  an  ordained  minister  of  the  Church  of  England,  who 
by  his  learning,  energy  and  power  of  organization  gave  stab- 
ility to  the  movement.  No  man  of  that  age  surpassed  him  in 
self-denial  and  trust  in  God.  With  all  his  extravagance  and 
superstition,  Wesley's  mind  was  essentially  practical  and 
orderly.  He,  beyond  most  men  of  his  age,  saw  that  he  lacked 
divine  authority  to  found  a  church.  Hence  to  the  last  he 
clung  passionately  to  the  Church  of  England,  and  looked  upon 
the  sect  he  had  formed  as  only  a  lay  society  or  branch  in  full 
communication  with  the  parent  church. 

For  a  long  time  he  would  not  permit  his  co-workers  to 
administer  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  supper;  as  he  con- 
sidered they  did  not  possess  the  requisite  authority.  Wesley- 
saw  with  wonderful  clearness  a  fact  that  no  one  of  that  age 
perceived  or,  if  he  did,  had  not  the  moral  courage  to  declare. 
He  perceived  the  universal  as  well  as  the  total  apostasy  of  the 
so-called  Christian  church.  In  his  94th  sermon  he  says;  "The 
real  cause  why  the  extraordinary  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost  were 
no  longer  to  be  found  in  the  Christian  church  was  because  the 
Christians  were  turned  heathens  again,  and  had  only  a  J<«d 
form  left."  In  another  place  he  says :  "A  string  of  opinions 
is  no  more  Christian  faith,  than  a  string  of  beads  is  Christian 
holiness."  The  justifiying  faith  which  he  considered  so  essen- 
tial and  taught  so  earnestly,  implied  a  personal  revelation — an 
inward  evidence  of  Christanity.  Thus  he  unconciously  yet 
logically  taught  the  insufficiency  of  the  ancient  scriptures  as  a 
guide  to  salvation.  It  also  implied  the  need  of  new  and  con- 
tinuous revelation  as  necessary  for  the  vitality  and  growth  of 
the  church.  Wesley  continued  his  labors  for  upwards  of  fifty- 


JOHN    WESLEY.  15,'] 

two  years,  traveling  and  preaching  until  within  a  short  time  of 
his  death,  which  occurred  in  his  eighty- eighth  year.  At  the 
time  of  his  death,  his  followers  numbered  more  than  one  hun- 
dred thousand.  Now  they  are  estimated  at  nearly  eight  millions. 
It  was  the  teachings  and  practices  of  the  Puritans,  the 
Quakers  and  the  Methodists  that  gave  to  England  that  great 
moral  impulse  which  led  to  the  establishment  of  Sunday 


JOHN    WESLEY. 

schools  by  Robert  Raikes  of  Gloucester,  the  reforming  of 
prisons  by  John  Howard,  and  the  abolition  of  the  slave  trade 
by  William  Wilberforce.  The  ardor  and  perseverance  which 
these  men  showed  in  behalf  of  the  poor,  the  wronged  and 
the  afflicted,  excited  a  wave  of  human  sympathy  through- 
out the  length  and  breadth  of  the  civilized  world.  It  is  from 
this  time  that  may  be  dated  the  commencement  of  charity 
schools,  foundling  hospitals,  insane  asylums  and  other  institu- 


154  THE   HAND   OF   PROVIDENCE. 

tions  of  benevolence  for  which  English-speaking  people  are 
now  so  famous. 

While  the  moral  and  religious  movements  were  in  progress, 
others  of  a  political  or  scientific  nature,  were  pressing  forward 
with  rapid  strides.  Amid  the  tumult  of  these  times,  James 
Brindley  was  quietly  making  England  a  net  work  of  canals. 
Watt  was  silently  perfecting  his  invention  of  the  steam-engine 
and  Adam  Smith  was  working  out  the  great  problem  of  politi- 
cal and  industrial  economy,  which  has  made  England  and  her 
colonies  the  leading  commercial  and  manufacturing  countries 
of  the  world. 

Meanwhile  John  Hargreaves,  Richard  Arkwright  and 
Samuel  Crompton,  by  their  inventions  were  revolutionizing 
the  art  of  spinning  and  weaving.  However,  these  ingenious 
devices  would  have  done  but  little  had  it  not  been  for  the  new 
and  inexhaustible  labor  force  of  the  steam-engine  which  had 
then  come  into  general  use.  One  of  the  first  effects  was  to 
develop  the  iron  manufactures  of  England.  Previous  to 
1750,  England  and  her  colonies  imported  four-fifths  of  their 
iron  goods  from  Sweden :  now  they  produce  more  than  four- 
fifths  of  all  the  iron  used  in  the  world. 

The  influence  of  the  steam-engine  and  spinning  jenney  on 
the  civilization  of  England  is  beyond  human  calculation. 
Mines  were  developed,  manufactories  established  and  the 
whole  national  industry  so  increased  that  the  population  of 
England  was  twice  doubled  in  less  than  fifty  years.  At  the 
same  time  agriculture  was  so  improved  that  one-sixth  of  the 
people  raised  food  for  the  remainder. 

While  these  events  were  transpiring  in  England  they  had 
their  due  influence  in  the  colonies.  Europe  saw  for  the  first 
time  a  state  growing  up  amidst  the  forests  of  the  west,  where 
religious  freedom  had  become  complete.  Religious  tolerance 
had.  been,  brought  about  by  strange  circumstances — a  medley 
of  religious  sects  such  as  the  world  had  never  seen  before. 
New  England  was  the  stronghold  of  the  Puritans.  In  some 
of  the  southern  colonies  the  Episcopal  church  was  established 
by  law  and  the  bulk  of  the  settlers  clung  to  it.  The  Roman 
Catholics  formed  a  large  majority  in  Maryland.  Pennsylvania 
was  a  state  of  Quakers.  Presbyterians  and  Baptists  fled  from 


GROWTEI   OF  AMERICAN   FllEKDOM.  1  ,">"> 

persecution  to  colonize  New  Jersey  ;  Lutherans  and  Moravians 
from  Germany  abounded  among  the  settlers  of  Georgia,  and 
the  persecuted  Huguenots  of  France  had  fled  from  their  native 
land  to  the  forests  of  Carolina.  In  such  a  chaos  of  creeds, 
religious  persecution  was  well  nigh  impossible. 

As  there  were  but  few  large  fortunes  among  the  colonists, 
so  nearly  all  had  the  same  social  standing  and  privileges. 
Education  was  general.  It  was  the  proud  boast  of  many 
of  the  colonies  that  every  man  and  woman  could  read  and 
write. 

Such  was  the  condition  of  the  colonies  in  1748,  when 
Montesquieu,  the  wisest  and  most  reflecting  statesman  of 
France,  declared  that  a  free,  prosperous  and  great  people 
were  forming  in  the  forests  of  America.  The  hereditary 
dynasties  of  the  old  world  were  all  unconscious  of  the  rapid 
growth  of  this  power,  which  was  soon  to  involve  them  in  its 
new  and  prevailing  influence.  The  hour  of  revolution  was  at 
hand,  promising  freedom  to  conscience  and  dominion  to  intelli- 
gence. From  the  fragments  of  European  society — fragments 
that  in  some  instances  had  been  considered  worthless — human- 
ity in  the  providence  of  God  was  building  up  a  self-governing 
and  democratic  dominion. 

About  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century  occurred  three 
famous  battles  which  did  much  to  determine  the  destinies  of 
men  for  ages  to  come.  The  first  of  these,  was  the  great 
victory  achieved  by  the  English  arms  on  the  plains  of  Plassey, 
June  23,  1757,  which  laid  the  foundation  of  the  empire  of 
British  India,  an  empire  which  comprises  more  than  one 
hundred  and  twenty  millions  of  people.  The  second  was  the 
victory  of  Rossbach,  which  determined  the  re-union  of  the 
German  states  and  laid  the  foundation  of  the  present  German 
empire.  The  third  was  the  triumph  of  Wolfe  on  the  plains 
of  Abraham,  September  13,  1759,  for  with  it  virtually  began 
the  history  of  the  United  States.  France  had  ever  been  an 
enemy  whose  dread  had  knit  the  colonists  together  and  to  the 
mother  country,  England.  By  wresting  Canada  from  her 
grasp  and  breaking  through  the  line  with  which  France  had 
barred  the  British  colonists  from  the  basin  of  the  Mississippi, 
Pitt  laid  the  foundation  of  the  great  republic  of  the  West. 


156  I'HE    HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

Hitherto  the  possessions  of  France  in  North  America  had  been 
twenty  times  as  vast  as  those  of  England ;  henceforth  they 
were  destined  to  dwindle  into  insignificance  and  eventually 
become  extinct. 

The  close  of  the  seven  years'  war,  which  ended  at  the  peace 
of  Paris,  J  76*3,  was  a  turning  point  in  the  history  of  the  world. 
England  was  no  longer  a  mere  European  power.  Her  future 
action  lay  in  a  wider  sphere  than  that  of  Europe.  Mistress  of 
North  America,  the  future  mistress  of  India,  claiming  as  her 
own  the  empire  of  the  seas,  Britain  suddenly  towered  high 
above  rival  nations  whose  interest  and  position,  being  on  a 
single  continent,  doomed  them  to  comparative  insignificance  in 
the  after  history  of  mankind. 

It  is  this  that  gives  William  Pitt  so  peculiar  a  position  among 
the  statesmen  of  the  world.  It  was  his  faith,  his  daring — shall 
we  not  say  his  inspiration? — that  called  the  English  people  to  a 
sense  of  the  destiny  that  lay  before  them. 

With  England  on  one  side  and  her  American  colonies  on  the 
other,  the  Atlantic  was  dwindling  into  a  mere  strait  within 
the  British  realms ;  but  beyond  it  to  the  westward  lay  a  vast 
ocean  where  the  British  flag  was  almost  unknown.  True  the 
Pacific  ocean  had  been  discovered  by  Balboa  in  1513,  and 
crossed  by  Magellan  in  15:21.  Dutch  voyagers  had  discovered 
that  "Great  Southern  Land,"  which  they  had  named  New 
Holland  and  also  the  northern  extremity  of  New  Zealand. 
But  the  discoveries  had  remained  unheeded  for  more  than  a 
century. 

It  was  not  till  1778  that,  under  Pitt's  direction,  Captain  Cook 
was  sent  into  the  Pacific  ocean  on  a  voyage  of  discovery.  He 
discovered  the  Sandwich  Islands  circumnavigated  New  Zea- 
land and  took  possession  of  Australia,  or  New  Holland,  in  the 
name  of  the  P^nglish  king.  The  reports  which  he  published 
of  that  vast  ocean  and  those  far-off  islands,  of  their'  coral 
reefs,  and  palms,  and  bread-fruit,  and  gum  trees,  and  kanga- 
roos, and  tatooed  warriors,  awoke  an  interest  in  the  minds  of 
the  English  concerning  this  world  of  wonders.  They  saw  in 
all  this  a  vast  realm  opened  for  the  expansion  of  the  English 
race,  and  English  civilization. 


EXTENSION   OF  THE   ENGLISH   LANGUAGE.  157 

The  extension  of  the  English  language  over  vast  territories 
and  populations  is  without  a  parallel  in  the  history-  of  the 
world.  Fully  one-fifth  of  the  surface  of  the  globe  and  one- 
fourth  of  its  population  are  under  the  dominion  of  England 
and  the  United  States.  The  English  language  is  now  spoken, 
and  English  and  American  literature  is  read  in  every  zone. 

"They  spread  where  Winter  piles  deep  snows  on  bleak  Canadian 

plains, 

And  where  on  green  Pacific  isles  eternal  summer  reigns. 
They  glad  Acadia's  misty  coasts,  Jamaica's  glowing  isle, 
And  bide  where  gay  with  early  flowers  green  Texan  prairies 

smile. 

"They  dwell  where  Californian  brooks  wash  down  their  sands  of 

gold, 

And  track  the  Frazier's  swelling  flood  thro'  sunset  valleys  rolled; 
They're  found  in  Borneo's  camphor  groves,  on  shores  of  fierce 

Malay, 
In  valleys  washed  by  Ganges'  flood  where  Ceylon's  zephyrs  stray. 

"Old  Albions  laws,  Columbia's  songs  rejoice  the  captive's  limbs; 
The  dark  Liberian  soothes  her  child  with  English  cradle  hymns, 
Tasmanian  maids  are  wooed  and  won,  in  gentle  Saxon  speech. 
Australian  boys  read  Crusoe's  life,  by  Sidney's  sheltered  beach. 

"They  speak  to  men  so  far  apart,  that  while  this  praise  we  sing, 
Some   may   rejoice   with  autumn  fruits,  others  with  flowers  of 

spring, 
They  speak  with  Shakspeare's  searching  thoughts  and  Bryant's 

lofty  mind, 
With  Alfred's   laws  and   Franklin's   lore,    to  cheer  and  bless 

mankind." 

Who  does  not  see  a  marvelous  wisdom  in  all  this?  The  lan- 
guage thus  widely  spread  was  destined  to  be  the  medium  by 
which  the  gospel  is  to  be  spread  in  all  the  nations  of  the  earth. 
Who  does  not  perceive  that  the  statesmanship  of  Pitt  was  one 
of  the  great  instrumentalities  for  the  execution  of  the  divine 
purposes?  Like  all  great  men,  Pitt  was  in  advance  of  the  age 
in  which  he  lived.  But  England  could  not  forget  the  eminent 
services  of  him,  who  had  done  so  much  to  promote  her  great- 
ness. The  ashes  of  Pitt  (now  best  known  as  the  earl  of 
Chatham)  repose  in  Westminster  Abbey,  the  burial  place  of 


158  THE   HAND    OF  PROVIDENCE. 

the  kings  of  England.  History  will  declare  that  among  states- 
men, few.  have  left  a  more  stainless,  none  a  more  splendid 
name. 

While  these  leading  events  were  transpiring  around  them 
two  remarkable  persons  were  developing  in  the  American  col- 
onies. One  of  these  was  George  Washington,  the  other,  Ben- 
jamin Franklin. 

Washington  was  born  in  1732.  His  father,  a  gentleman  of 
good  fortune,  died  when  his  future  illustrious  son  was  only 
eleven  years  of  age.  Upon  Washington's  mother  devolved  the 
care  of  his  early  education.  She  was  a  devout  woman,  of 
excellent  sense  and  deep  affections,  yet  of  a  temper  which  could 
brook  no  shadow  of  insubordination.  Under  her  rule — gentle 
and  yet  strong,  George  learned  obedience  and  self-control.  In 
boyhood  he  gave  remarkable  promise  of  those  excellencies 
which  distinguished  his  mature  years.  His  person  was  large 
and  powerful.  He  was  accustomed  to  labor,  which  gave  him 
endurance  to  perform  the  work  that  lay  before  him.  His 
education  was  limited  to  the  common  English  branches,  mathe- 
matics and  land  surveying.  In  his  eighteenth  year  he  was 
employed  by  the  government  as  surveyor  of  public  lands. 
Many  of  his  measurements  are  still  on  record,  and  long 
experience  has  established  their  unvarying  accuracy.  A  massive 
intellect  and  an  iron  strength  of  will  were  given  to  him,  with 
a  gentle,  loving  heart,  dauntless  courage,  and  loftiness  of 
purpose.  He  possessed,  in  a  wonderful  degree,  clear  per- 
ceptions of  his  duty,  and  a  deep  insight  into  the  wants  of  his 
time. 

While  Washington's  boyhood  was  being  passed  on  the  banks 
of  the  Potomac,  Benjamin  Franklin  was  toiling  hard  in  the 
city  of  Philadelphia  to  earn  an  honest  livelihood.  He  edited 
a  newspaper,  bound  books,  made  ink,  sold  rags,  soap  and 
coffee.  He  also  published  the  first  American  almanac.  A  fac- 
simile of  the  title  page  is  given  on  the  next  page. 

He  was  a  thriving  man,  but  he  was  not  ashamed  to  convey 
along  the  streets  in  a  wheelbarrow  the  paper  which  he  bought 
for  the  purpose  of  his  trade.  As  a  boy,  he  had  been  studious 
and  thoughtful.  As  a  man,  he  was  prudent,  sagacious  and 
trustworthy.  When  he  had  earned  a  moderate  competency  he 


F[RST  AMERICAN   ALMANAC. 


Poor  Richard,  1733. 


AN 


Almanack 

For  tlie  Year  of  CJmft 

1733> 

Being  the  Firfl  after  LEAP  YEAR: 


Jince  the.  Creation,  Y  ear 

By  fJie  Account  of  the  fiaftem.  Greeks 
By  the  Latirt  Chwch,    when  O  «n£.  Y* 
By  the  Computatiorv  of  W"  W+ 
By  iKe  Roman  Chronology 
By  the  J&zuifi  Babbie  $ 

W  her  tin  is  ccxUtnecL 
The  Lunatioii59.  Eclipfes7  Judgment  ol 

the.  Weather,  Spring  Tides,   Plants  iVf^Kou?  & 
mutual  M'pelfS}  Stuvand  Mood's  IRifing  and  Set* 
trn^.   LevjgtK  of  Bay5,  TimC   of  High-  Water,. 
FdT.n^  Court^  and  oifeWAbk  Davs 
Fitted  lo  ilie  Latitude  of  Forty  Degrees 
and  a  Meridien  of  FiVe  Hours  Weft  from  .C 
"but  way  without  fenftbic  Err«?   fennaaRthc 
Places, 


SAUNDERS, 


PHILADELPHIA' 

ami  fold        5-  fRANXLTK   ** 


100 


TflE  HAND   OF     PROVIDENCE. 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


GATHERING  OF  POLITICAL  FORCES.  lf>l 

ceased  to  labor  at  his  business.  Henceforth  he  labored  to  serve 
his  fellow-men.  Philadelphia  owes  to  Franklin  her  university, 
her  hospital,  and  her  first  and  greatest  library.  It  was  he  who 
discovered  the  identity  of  lightning  and  electricity.  Before  the 
revolution  he  was  sent  to  England  to  plead  the  cause  of  the 
colonists.  During  the  war  he  was  sent  as  ambassador  to  the  court 
of  France.  At  the  close  of  the  war  he  was  appointed,  one  of 
the  commissioners  to  negotiate  a  treaty  of  peace  between  the 
United  States  and  Great  Britain.  The  last  great  work  of  his 
life  was  to  aid  in  the  forming  of  the  constitution  of  the  United 
States.  He  continued  in  public  office  till  within  six  months  of 
his  death  and  in  public  service  till  within  twenty-four  days  of  it. 


CHAPTER    XVII. 


THE  EVE  OF  REVOLUTION. 


GATHERING  OF  POLITICAL  FORCES — GENERAL  REVOLUTION 
—CIVIL  REFORMS— DECAY  OF  OLD  INSTITUTIONS — ROS- 
SEAU  AND  HIS  WHITINGS — VOLTAIRE,— HOLLAND,  A 
POLITICAL  REFUGE — AMERICAN  SETTLERS — LINES  OF 
ALBERT  B.  STREET — GROWTH  OF  THE  COLONIES— LOVE 
FOR  ENGLAND — CAUSES  OF  REVOLUTION— MANUFACTURES 
FORBIDDEN — STAMP  ACT— TAX  ON  TEA — PHILADELPHIA 
CONVENTION — ADDRESS  TO  THE  KING— APPEAL  TO  ENG- 
LAND—TO CANADA — INCIDENT  IN  OLD  SOUTH  CHURCH, 
BOSTON — PAUL  REVERE' S  RIDE. 

"Freedom,  thy  brow, 

Glorious  in  beauty  though  it  be,  is  scarred 
With  tokens  of  old  wars;  thy  massive  limbs 
Are  strong  with  struggling.    Power  at  thee  has  launched 
His  bolts,  and  with  his  lightnings  smitten  thee. 
They  could  not  quench  the  light,  thou  hast  from  heaven." 

WHO  has  failed  to  observe  on  a  calm  summer  day  the 
elements  of  a  storm  collecting    silently,  and  gradu- 
ally,-until  the  whole  heavens  grew  dark,  and  the  light   of 
the  sun  was  hid?    The  calm  was  changed  into  a  tempest,  the 
lightning  flashed,   the  thunder  roared,  the  clouds  piled  up 


Jf)2  THE   HAND    OF   PROVIDENCE. 

thicker  and  heavier  until  at  length  the  storm  burst,  the  rain 
fell  in  torrents  deluging  the  earth  and  in  some  cases  uprooting 
the  plants  it  was  designed  to  nourish  and  strengthen. 

So,  too,  in  the  political  world  the  forces  gather  gradually, 
until  they  have  attained  sufficient  power,  and  then  burst 
upon  the  affrighted  nations  in  all  the  tumult  of  a  terrible 
revolution. 

There  are  few  intelligent  people  in  this  age  but  what  have  a 
general  idea  of  the  history  of  the  world ;  yet  how  compara- 
tively few  are  there  who  realize  the  fact,  that  in  the  seventy- 
five  years  which  elapsed  between  1775  and  1850  the  great 
majority  of  civilized  nations  passed  through  a  great  social  and 
political  change.  Among  the  nations  so  affected  may  be  men- 
tioned the  United  States,  France,  Spain,  Portugal,  Italy, 
Greece,  Belgium,  Poland,  Hungary,  Turkey,  Mexico,  Central 
America  and  nearly  all  the  South  America'n  states.  To  this 
may  be  added  the  great  commot  ons  in  Russia,  Sweden, 
Norway,  Denmark,  Holland,  Switzerland  and  the  states  of  the 
German  empire  caused  by  the  wars  of  Napoleon.  In  England, 
Ireland  and  Canada,  wars  were  only  averted  by  civil  reforms 
and  concessions  to  popular  rights. 

For  Europe  this  epoch  was  the  result  of  the  struggles  of 
generations.  At  the  close  of  the  seven  years'  war  in  1763  the 
representatives  of  even  the  Catholic  powers  admitted  the 
decay  of  old  institutions.  The  Catholic  monarchies  headed 
by  the  pope,  in  their  struggle  against  Protestantism  and  free 
thought  had  encountered  defeat.  From  this  great  struggle 
came  forth  a  principle  of  all-pervaling  energy.  The  life- 
giving  truth  of  the  Reformation  was  the  right  of  private  judg- 
ment. The  world  was  rising  up  against  superstition;  the 
oppression  of  industry  was  passing  away.  The  use  of  reason 
was  no  longer  considered  a  crime,  but  was  on  the  other  hand, 
considered  a  duty.  Ideas  of  the  brotherhood  of  man  were 
flashing  across  the  minds  of  leading  men. 

At  this  juncture  a  remarkable  political  writer  made  his 
appearance,  From  the  discipleship  of  Calvin,  from  the 
republic  of  Geneva,  from  the  abodes  of  poverty,  Jean  Jacques 
Rosseau  came  as  the  advocate  of  the  poor  and  the  oppressed. 
Through  him  the  "sons  of  toil"  breathed  out  their  wrongs, 


ROSSEAU'S   INFLUENCE.  I  f^ 

and  a  new  class  gained  a  voice  in  the  world  of  published 
thought.  Though  full  of  weaknesses  and  jealousies  and 
betrayed  by  poverty  into  shameful  deeds,  he  possessed  a  deep 
and  real  feeling  for  humanity.  In  an  age  of  skepticism  he 
solaced  the  ills  of  life  by  trust  in  God.  Fearlessly  questioning 
all  the  grandeurs  of  the  world,  he  breathed  the  spirit  of  revo- 
lution into  words  of  flame.  What  though  the  church  of  Rome 
cursed  his  writings  with  her  ban  ;  and  parliaments  burned  them 
at  the  gibbet  by  the  hangman's  hand!  What  though  France 
drove  him  from  her  soil,  and  the  republic  of  his  birth  disowned 
her  son!  What  though  the  wise  and  noble  hooted  at  his 
wildness !  Yet  from  the  woes  of  the  world  in  which  he  had 
suffered,  from  the  wrongs  of  the  down-trodden  which  he  had 
shared,  he  derived  an  eloquence  that  went  to  the  heart  of  the 
masses  of  Europe.  Beyond  most  men  of  his  time  he  saw  the 
hand  of  Providence  in  the  history  of  men. 

"Nor  God  alone  in  the  still  calm  we  find, 

He  mounts  the  storm  and  rides  upon  the  wind." 

Institutions  may  crumble  and  governments  fall,  but  it  is 
only  that  they  may  renew  a  better  youth ;  the  petals  of  the 
flower  wither  that  fruit  may  form.  On  the  banks  of  the 
stream  of  time  not  a  great  deed  has  been  done  by  a  hero,  or 
monument  raised  by  a  nation,  but  tells  the  story  of  human 
progress.  Each  people  that  has  disappeared,  every  great 
institution  that  has  passed  away,  has  been  but  a  step  in  the 
ladder  by  which  humanity  ascends  to  a  higher  plane.  The 
generations  that  handed  the  truth,  from  rank  to  rank  down 
the  ages,  have  themselves  become  dust;  but  the  light  still 
increases  its  ever-burning  flame.  From  the  intelligence  that 
had  been  slowly  ripening  sprang  the  American  revolution. 
While  Rosseau  was  putting  his  burning  thoughts  in  print,  and 
Yoltaire,  the  prince  of  scoffers,  was  hurling  his  venomed 
shafts  of  sarcasm  at  the  priesthood  of  the  Roman  church ; 
farther  north  was  the  little  country,  Holland,  which  had  already 
gained  a  large  share  of  civil  and  religious  liberty.  Here 
thought  ranged  through  the  wide  domain  of  speculative 
reason ;  here  the  literary  fugitive  found  an  asylum,  and  the 
boldest  writings,  which  in  other  countries  were  circulated  by 
stealth,  were  openly  published  to  the  world. 


164  THE   HAND    OF   PROVIDENCE. 

While  the  learned  and  thoughtful  men  of  Europe  were 
thinking,  the  pioneers  of  America  were  acting.  Nothing 
could  restrain  them  from  peopling  the  wilderness.  To  be  a 
land-owner  was  the  ruling  passion  of  the  New  England  man. 
In  general,  marriages  were  early  and  very  fruitful.  The  sons, 
as  they  grew  up  skilled  in  the  use  of  the  ax  and  the  rifle, 
would,  one  after  another,  move  from  the  old  homestead;  and, 
with  a  wife,  a  yoke  of  oxen,  a  cow  and  a  few  necessary  imple- 
ments, build  a  small  hut  in  the  foiest  and  by  dint  of  industry 
soon  win  for  themselves  plenty  and  independence.  The  beau- 
tiful lines  of  Albert  B.  Street  well  describe  the  circumstances 
as  well  as  the  character  of  the  men  who  founded  American 
institutions  and  moulded  the  national  character : 

"His  echoing  ax  the  settler  swung 

Amid  the  sea-like  solitude, 
And  rushing,  thundering  down  were  flung 

The  Titans  of  the  wood. 
Loud  shrieked  the  eagle  as  be  dashed 
Erom  out  his  mossy  nest,  which  crashed 

With  its  supporting  bough, 
And  the  first  sunlight  leaping  flashed 

On  the  wolf's  haunt  below. 

"Rude  was  the  garb,  and  strong  the  frame 

Of  him  who  plied  his  ceaseless  toil : 
To  form  the  garb,  the  wild-wood  game 

Contributed  their  spoil ; 
The  soul  that  warmed  that  frame  disdained 
The  tinsel  gaud  and  glare,  that  reigned 

Where  men  their  crowds  collect; 
The  simple  fur  untrimmed,  unstained, 

This  forest  tamer  decked. 

"His  roof  adorned  a  pleasant  spot, 

'Mid  the  black  logs,  green  glowed  the  grain, 
And  fruits  and  plants  the  woods  knew  not 

Bloomed  in  the  sun  and  rain. 
The  smoke-wreath  curling  o'er  the  dell, 
The  lowing  herds — the  tinkling  bell, 

All  made  a  landscape  strange. 
Which  was  the  living  chronicle 

Of  deeds  that  wrought  the  change. 


GROWTH   OF  THE    COLONIES.  165 

"Humble  the  lot,  yet  his  the  race, 

When  liberty  sent  forth  her  cry, 
"Who  thronged  in  conflict's  deadliest  place 

To  fight— to  bleed— to  die; 
Who  cumbered  Bunker's  hight  of  red. 
By  hope  through  weary  years  were  led 

And  witnessed  Yorktown's  sun 
Blaze  on  a  nations  banner  spread — 

A  nation's  freedom  won." 

A  century  and  a  half 'had  now  passed  since  the  first  colony 
had  been  planted  on  American  soil.  The  colonists  were  fast 
ripening  into  fitness  for  independence.  They  had  increased 
with  marvelous  rapidity.  Europe  never  ceased  to  send  forth 
her  needy  thousands.  America  opened  wide  her  hospitable 
doors  and  gave  assurance  of  liberty  and  comfort  to  all  who 
came.  The  thirteen  colonies  now  contained  a  population  of 
about  three  millions. 

Up  to  the  year  1 764,  the  Americans  cherished  a  deep  rever- 
ence and  affection  for  the  mother  country.  They  were 
proud  to  be  considered  British  subjects,  and  of  the  lofty  place 
England  held  among  the  nations  of  the  earth.  They  gloried 
in  the  splendor  of  her  military  achievements.  They  copied  her 
manners  and  her  fashions.  Her  language,  laws  and  literature 
were  as  fondly  cherished  by  the  colonists  as  by  the  English 
themselves. 

Why  was  it  then  that  such  a  marvelous  change  should  take 
place  in  the  minds  of  the  American  people,  during  the  next 
twelve  years?  In  1 764  the  colonists  loved  England  as  their  mother 
country.  In  1776  they  had  learned  to  despise  her  authority. 
They  bound  themselves,  by  solemn  oaths,  to  use  no  article  of 
English  manufacture.  They  publicly  burned  the  Acts  of  the 
English  Parliament.  They  even  killed  the  king's  soldiers  and 
cast  from  them  forever  his  authority.  By  what  terrible  magic 
was  this  change  wrought  so  swiftly :  that  three  millions  of 
people  should  be  taught  to  abhor  the  country  they  once  loved  ? 

To  answer  this  question  rightly  we  must  remember  that  the 
cause  of  the  colonists  was  one  of  popular  rights  against 
royal  prerogative,  that  the  best  and  wisest  men  in  England 
were  in  favor  of  the  colonists ;  that  even  William  Pitt,  the 


166  THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

greatest  statesman  England  had  ever -seen,  declared  openly  in 
Parliament,  "I  rejoice  that  America  has  resisted." 

We  must  also  bear  in  mind  that  for  many  years  England 
had  governed  her  American  colonies  harshly;  and  in  a  spirit 
of  undisguised  selfishness,  America  was  ruled  not  for  her 
own  good  but  for  the  good  of  English  commerce.  The 
colonists  were  not  allowed  to  export  their  products  except  to 
England.  No  foreign  ships  were  permitted  to  enter  colonial 
ports.  Whatever  were  the  exorbitant  demands  of  English 
manufacturers  or  merchants,  still  the  colonists  were  not  per- 
mitted to  buy  at  a  cheaper  market.  Still  more,  certain  goods, 
woolen  for  example,  were  not  allowed  to  be  sent  from  one  colony 
to  another.  The  manufacture  of  hats  was  forbidden,  and  even 
the  Bible  was  not  allowed  to  be  printed  in  America. 

The  colonists  had  long  borne  the  cost  of  their  own  govern- 
ment and  defense.  But  in  that  age  of  profuse  expenditure  on 
useless  wars,  the  king  and  nobility  of  England  thought  to 
gather  from  America's  toiling  sons  the  means  to  pay  for  their 
own  misrule.  The  Parliament  of  England  passed  a  law  to  tax 
America.  The  colonists  replied  they  were  willing  to  vote  what 
moneys  the  king  required  of  them;  but  they  vehemently 
denied  the  right  of  any  assembly,  in  which  they  were  not 
represented,  to  take  from  them  any  portion  of  their  property. 
Another  law  was  also  passed  requiring  a  royal  stamp  to  be 
placed  on  every  legal  document.  Benjamin  Franklin  had  been 
sent  to  England  by  the  colonists.  He  went  to  plead  their 
cause  before  the  British  government.  He  told  them  plainly 
that  the  colonists  could  not  submit  to  such  taxation.  The  act 
was  to  come  in  force  on  the  first  of  November,  1763.  On  that 
day  the  church  bells  were  tolled,  and  the  people  wore  the 
aspect  of  those  on  whom  some  heavy  calamity  had  fallen.  Not 
one  of  the  stamps  was  ever  sold  in  America.  Without  stamps 
mercantile  transactions  ceased  to  be  binding,  notes  were  not 
legal,  marriages  were  null.  Yet  the  business  of  life  went  on. 
Men  married;  they  bought;  they  sold — illegally,  because 
without  stamps ;  but  no  harm  came  of  it. 

England  heard  with  amazement  that  America  refused  to 
obey  the  law.  The  great  statesman,  Pitt,  denounced  the  act, 


TAX  ON  TEA.  167 

and,  at  length,  it  was  repealed.  The  repeal  of  the  stamp  act 
only  delayed  for  a  little  the  fast-coming  crisis. 

It  was  during  this  agitation  that  the  colonists  first  felt  the 
need  of  a  commercial  and  political  union.  The  idea  of  a 
general  congress  of  the  states  was  suggested,  which  soon  after- 
wards met  in  the  city  of  New  York. 

The  king  of  England  was  still  determined  to  tax  America, 
and  soon  levied  a  tax  on  tea.  The  people  determined  they 
would  drink  no  more  tea  rather  than  pay  the  tax.  One  day 
ships  loaded  with  taxed  tea  arrived  in  Boston  harbor.  There 
was  a  great  commotion  ;  the  men  ran  together  to  hold  council. 
It  was  Sunday,  and  the  people  of  Boston  were  very  strict,  yet 
here  was  an  emergency  in  the  presence  of  which  all  ordinary 
rules  were  suspended.  The  crisis  had  come  at  length.  If  that 
tea  was  landed,  it  would  be  sold ;  it  would  be  used,  and  Ame- 
rican liberty  would  become  a  by-word  upon  the  earth. 

The  brave  and  liberty-loving  Samuel  Adams  was  the  leading 
man  of  Boston  at  that  time.  He  was  a  roan  in  middle  life  just 
forty- two  years  of  age,  of  cultivated  mind  and  stainless  repu- 
tation, a  powerful  speaker  and  writer,  and  a  man  in  whose 
sagacity  and  moderation  all  men  trusted.  He  resembled 
Cromwell  in  some  particulars — his  love  of  liberty,  undaunted 
courage  and  trust  in  God.  He  was  among  the  first  to  see  that 
there  was  no  resting  place  short  of  independence.  He  said : 
"Our  forefathers  were  driven  from  the  land  of  their  birth  in 
the  cause  of  religious  liberty.  They  made  themselves  homes 
in  the  wilds  of  America.  We  have  earned  a  competence  and 
are  self-sustaining.  We  are  free  and  need  no  king  but  God." 
The  men  of  Boston  felt  the  power  of  his  resolute  spirit  and 
manfully  followed  where  Samuel  Adams  led.  Several  days  of 
excitement  and  discussion  followed.  People  flocked  in  from 
the  neighboring  towns.  The  time  was  spent  mainly  in  political 
meetings.  At  Fanueil  Hall,  in  the  churches  and  at  the  market 
place,  the  rights  of  the  people  were  discussed.  One  day  a 
meeting  was  held  and  the  excited  people  continued  in  hot 
debate  till  the  shades  of  evening  fell.  At  length  Samuel 
Adams  stood  up  in  the  dimly  lighted  church  and  announced : 
"This  meeting  can  do  nothing  more  to  save  the  country." 
With  a  stern  shout  the  meeting  broke  up.  Fifty  men  dis- 


168  THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

guised  as  Indians  hurried  down  to  the  wharf,  each  man  with 
a  hatchet  in  his  hand.  The  crowd  followed,  and  stood  on  the 
shore  in  silence  while  the  so-called  Indians  went  on  board  the 
ship,  broke  open  the  chests  of  tea  and  threw  them  and  their 
contents  into  the  sea.  No  wonder  King  George  was  in  a  rage. 
No  wonder  that  he  demanded  that  the  guilty  parties,  if  they 
could  be  found,  should  be  sent  to  England  for  trial.  The  great 
statesman,  William  Pitt,  also  called  the  Earl  of  Chatham, 
pleaded  for  measures  of  conciliation ;  but  all  in  vain.  G-eneral 
Gage  with  four  regiments  was  sent  to  Boston.  He  threw  up 
fortifications  and  lay  as  in  a  hostile  city.  The  colonists 
appointed  a  day  of  fasting  and  prayer.  They  knew  that  their 
cause  was  just.  They  looked  to  Him, for  protection,  who 
"holds  the  nations  in  the  hollow  of  His  hand."  They  knew 
that  He,  who  had  guided  them  across  the  rolling  deep  and 
had  preserved  them  in  the  wilderness,  could  also  protect  them 
from  the  rage  and  avarice  of  wicked  men.  They  also  formed 
themselves  into  military  companies.  They  occupied  them- 
selves with  drill.  They  laid  up  stores  of  ammunition.  Most 
of  them  had  muskets  and  could  use  them,  fle  who  had  no 
musket,  now  got  one.  They  hoped  that  civil  war  might  be 
averted,  but  there  was  no  harm  in  being  ready.  While  these 
things  were  going  on  in  Boston,  a  congress  of  delegates  had 
met  in  Philadelphia  and  were  busy  discussing  measures  in 
regard  to  the  troubles  that  were  thickening  around  them. 
Twelve  colonies  were  represented  but  Georgia,  the  youngest 
and  feeblest  colony,  still  paused  timidly  on  the  brink  of  the 
perilous  enterprise.  Some  of  the'truly  great  men  of  America 
met  in  that  congress.  Of  it  the  great  Earl  of  Chatham  said : 
'  'For  genuine  sagacity,  for  singular  moderation,  for  solid  wis- 
dom the  congress  of  Philadelphia  shines  unrivalled."  That 
quaint  old  building  where  they  met  became  one  of  the  spots 
ever  dear  to  the  patriot's  heart.  Among  the  famous  men 
assembled  there  were  George  Washington  whose  massive  sense 
and  copious  knowledge  attracted  attention,  and  made  him  a 
guiding  power,  and  Patrick  Henry,  then  a  young  man. 
He  brought  to  the  council  a  wisdom  beyond  his  years,  and  a 
fiery  eloquence,  which,  to  some  of  his  hearers,  seeraed  almost 
more  than  human.  He  had  already  shown  that  he  was 


APPEAL  TO  ENGLAND.  169 

unfitted  for  farming  or  merchandizing.  He  was  now  to  prove 
that  he  could  utter  words  which  would  sweep  over  a  continent, 
thrill  men's  hearts  like  the  most  sublime  strains  of  music,  and 
rouse  them  up  to  high  and  noble  deeds.  There  also  was 
Richard  Henry  Lee,  with  his  bewitching  voice,  his  ripe 
scholarship,  and  rich  stores  of  historical  and  political  knowl- 
edge, which  would  have  graced  the  highest  assemblies  of  the 
old  world.  Nor  should  we  forget  to  mention  the  noble-minded 
farmer,  John  Dickinson,  whose  published  letters  had  done  so 
much  to  form  the  public  sentiment.  His  enthusiastic  love  of 
England  was  now  overborne  by  a  sense  of  wrong.  And  last, 
but  by  no  means  least,  we  may  place  on  the  list  the  name  of 
Benjamin  Franklin,  the  sage  philosopher,  the  practical  scien- 
tist, the  shrewd  diplomatist,  the  incorruptible  patriot,  the 
wise  philanthropist.  Such  were  some  of  the  men  whom  God 
raised  up  to  mould  the  character  of  the  infant  nation. 

Still  they  did  not  wish  for  separation.  They  wished  to  have 
their  wrongs  redressed  and  continue  British  subjects.  They 
drew  up  a  narrative  of  their  wrongs.  They  implored  King 
George  to  remove  those  grievances.  They  even  addressed  the 
people  of  Great  Britain,  as  subjects  of  the  same  empire,  as 
men  possessing  common  sympathies  and  common  interests; 
yet  they  added  that  '  'they  would  not  be  'hewers  of  wood  and 
drawers  of  water'  to  any  nation  in  the  world."  Had  all  the 
colonists  been  Englishmen  or  descendants  of  Englishmen  no 
more  could  have  been  expected.  When  we  recollect  that  they 
had  been  gathered  from  many  nations  and  different  climes, 
their  subserviency  to  the  interests  of  the  British  empire  is 
remarkable.  The  colonists  even  appealed  to  their  fellow- 
colonists  in  Canada  for  aid  and  sympathy.  But  Canada, 
newly  conquered  from  France,  was  peopled  almost  wholly  by 
Frenchmen.  They  were  strangers  to  the  religious  struggles 
through  which  the  more  southern  colonists  had  passed.  And 
so  from  Canada  there  came  no  response  of  sympathy  or 
help. 

King  George  now  determined  to  reduce  the  colonists  to 

obedience.     All  trade  with  the  colonies  was  forbidden.     No 

ship  of  any  nation  was  permitted  to  enter  American  ports  or 

bring  supplies  to  the  settlers  in  America.     In  justice  to  the 

*7 


170  THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

English  people  it  should  be  said,  that  in  those  days  they  had 
no  control  over  the  government  of  their  country.  All  this  was 
managed  for  them  by  a  few  great  families.  Their  allotted 
part  was  to  toil  hard,  pay  their  taxes,  and  be  silent.  If  they 
had  been  permitted  to  speak,  their  voice  would  have  been  on 
the  side  of  popular  rights.  They  would  have  vindicated  the 
men  who  asserted  the  right  of  self-government — a  right  which 
the  great  mass  of  Englishmen  were  not  to  enjoy  for  many  a 
long  year  after. 

Two  incidents  occurred  about  this  time  which  well  illustrate 
the  spirit  of  the  people.  It  was  the  Sabbath  morning  before 
the  battle  of  Lexington.  The  scene  of  the  first  is  the  Old 
South  Church,  itself  rich  with  the  mementos  of  the  past.  Its 
walls  are  lined  with  monuments.  The  burying-ground  around 
the  church  is  a  picturesque  spot  and  was  first  used  about  1660. 
The  trees  interweave  their  branches  above  the  tombs,  and  only 
pencil-rays  of  sunlight  break  the  broad,  cool  shadows  of  the 
spot.  The  Boston  branch  of  the  Winslow  family  rests  here,  and 
here  also  sleeps  the  famous  Mary  Chilson,  who  is  said  to  have 
been  the  first  to  step  on  shore  from  the  Mayflower.  She  died 
in  1679.  Here  lie  the  remains  of  Governor  John  Winthrop  ; 
Hon.  John  Philips,  the  first  mayor  of  the  city ;  Robert  Treat 
Paine,  one  of  the  signers  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence ; 
and  many  others  among  which  should  not  be  forgotten  the 
name  of  Paul  Revere. 

At  this  church  the  governor  of  the  colony  and  other  British 
government    officials  usually  attended.       On   this  beautiful 
April' Sabbath  morning  they  had  come  as  usual;    and  the 
happy  yet  determined  people  were  quietly  talking  and  loiter- 
ing among  the  graves  of  their  ancestors.  At  length  the  pastor 
came,  and  they  followed  him  into  the  church.     The  hymn  they 
sang  is  known  as  the  ninety- fourth  psalm.     It  commences: 
*'O  Lord  our  God,  to  whom  alone,  all  vengeance  doth  belong; 
O  mighty  God,  who  vengeance  ownest,    shine   forth  avenging 

wrong, 

Thy  folk  they  break  in  pieces,  Lord,  thine  heritage  oppress, 
The  widow  they  and  stranger  slay,  and  kill   the   fatherless." 

The  pastor's  text  was  Psalms  xlvi.,  1 :     "God  is  our  refuge 
and  strength,  a  very  present  help  in  trouble. 


INCIDENT  IN   OLD   SOUTH  CHURCH,    BOSTON.  171 

He  spoke  of  the  wrongs  the  colonists  had  endured,  the 
position  they  held  in  regard  to  posterity,  and  the  responsibility 
which  rested  upon  them  to  plant  the  institutions  of  liberty  for 
the  benefit  of  future  generations.  Warming  with  his  theme, 
he  uttered  sentences  which  caused  the  hearts  of  foes  to  quake 
and  the  hearts  of  friends  to  glow  and  burn  within  them. 
Standing  on  the  platform  of  truth  and  right,  he  dared  to  hurl 
defiance  at  a  tyrant  king. 

The  governor,  Berkley,  interrupted  the  speaker,  and,  calling 
him  a  traitor,  demanded  that  he  should  cease. 

Some  of  the  militia  of  Boston  foreseeing  the  danger  of  the 
daring  speaker  had  followed  him  to  the  church,  and  already 
stood  in  the  vestibule.  Just  at  that  moment  the  trumpet 
sounded,  the  drums  beat  and  the  great  church-bell  rang  out 
its  clarion  notes  calling  the  citizens  to  arms.  Such  was  the 
spirit  of  the  people  that  the  governor  sought  in  vain  to  stay 
their  indignation  which  swept  like  a  flood  over  the  land.  With 
the  Puritans  liberty  was  a  part  of  their  religion. 

The  other  incident  occurred  on  the  eve  of  the  battle  of 
Lexington. 

Early  in  April  1775,  General  Gage  learned  that  considerable 
stores  of  ammunition  were  collected  at  the  village  of  Concord, 
eighteen  miles  from  Boston,  and  he  determined  to  capture 
them.  Late  on  the  night  of  April  18th,  eight  hundred 
soldiers  set  out  on  this  errand.  The  patriots  observed  that 
there  was  something  more  than  ordinary  in  progress.  Com- 
panies of  soldiers  were  massed  on  Boston  common  under 
pretense  of  learning  a  new  military  exercise. 

Doctor,  afterwards  General,  Joseph  Warren,  who  fell  at 
Bunker  Hill,  received  notice  of  the  design  of  the  troops,  and 
at  once  sent  Paul  Revere  to  arouse  the  country.  It  was  agreed 
that  a  signal  light  should  be  placed  in  the  tower  of  the  01<J 
North  Church  to  notify  the  watchers  of  the  direction  the 
troops  had  taken— one  if  by  land,  two  if  by  sea.  Paul  Bevere 
then  rowed  across  the  stream  to  Charlestown.  He  was  not  a 
moment  too  soon.  General  Gage  heard  that  his  plans  were 
discovered,  and  orders  were  at  once  given  that  no  person 
should  be  allowed  to  leave  Boston.  Had  these  orders  been 
given  five  minutes  sooner,  the  whole  course  of  the  revolution 


172  THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

might  have  been  changed.  As  it  was  Revere  reached  the 
other  side  in  safety.  Having  obtained  a  fleet  and  sure-footed 
steed  he  stood  impatiently  watching  the  belfry  tower  of  the 
Old  North  Church.  Meanwhile  Warren,  in  disguise,  wandered 
through  the  darkness  and  listened  with  eager  ears  till  he  heard 
the  measured  tread  of  the  grenadiers  marching  down  to  the 
boats.  Then  with  lantern  in  hand  he  climbed  up  into  the 
belfry  and  a  gleam  of  light  shone  over  the  dark  and  silent 
city.  Paul  Revere  sprang  into  the  saddle,  but  paused  a 
moment  and  gazed  until  a  second  light  gleamed  out  distinctly 
and  clearly.  Then 

"A  hurry  of  hoofs  in  a  village  street, 

A  shape  in  the  moonlight,  a  bulk  in  the  dark, 

And  beneath  from  the  pebbles  in  passing,  a  spark 

Struck  out  by  the  steed  that  flies  fearless  and  fleet ; 

That  was  all !  And  yet  thro'  the  darkness  and  gloom 

The  fate  of  a  nation  was  riding  that  night, 

And  the  spark  struck  out  by  the  steed  in  his  flight 

Kindled  the  land  into  flame  with  its  heat. 

It  was  twelve  by  the  village  clock 

When  he  crossed  the  bridge  into  Medford  town. 

It  was  one  by  the  village  clock 

When  he  rode  into  Lexington. 

He  saw  the  gilded  weathercock  swim 

In  the  moonlight  as  he  passed, 

And  the  meeting-house  windows  blank  and  bare 

Gaze  at  hirn  with  a  spectral  glare 

As  if  they  already  stood  aghast, 

At  the  bloody  work  they  would  look  upon. 

You  know  the  rest.     In  the  books  you  have  read 

How  the  British  regulars  fired  and  fled, 

How  the  farmers  gave  them  ball  for  ball, 

Prom  behind  each  fence  and  farm-yard  wall, 

Chasing  the  red-coats  down  the  lane, 

Then  crossing  the  fields  to  emerge  again 

Under  the  trees,  at  the  turn  of  the  road, 

And  only  pausing  to  fire  and  load. 

So  through  the  night  rode  Paul  Kevere ; 

And  so  through  the  night  went  his  cry  of  alarm 

To  every  Middlesex  village  and  farm — 

A  cry  of  defiance  and  not  of  fear — 

A  voice  in  the  darkness,  a  knock  at  the  door, 


BATTLE  OF  LEXINGTON.  173 

A  word  that  shall  echo  for  evermore! 

For,  borne  on  the  night  wind  of  the  past 

Through  human  history  to  the  last 

The  good  shall  pray  and  by  faith  shall  hear 

A  delivering  foot-fall  as  of  that  steed 

And  a  midnight  message  as  of  Paul  Revere." 


CHAPTER    XVIII. 


THE      BOYS     OF     '76. 


BATTLE  OF  LEXINGTON — OFFICERS  CHOSEN — A  YEAR  OF 
DISCUSSION— DECLARATION  OF  INDEPENDENCE— SPIRIT 
OF  ENGLISH  NOBILITY — DEFEAT  OF  AMERICAN  FORCES 
— SUCCESS  AT  TRENTON  AND  PRINCETON — SUFFERINGS  AT 
VALLEY  FORGE — WASHINGTON'S  PRAYER — BURGOYNE'S 
CAMPAIGN — ARRIVAL  OF  LA  FAYETTE — ARNOLD'S  TREA- 
SON— ANDRE' s  DEATH — SIEGE  OF  YORKTOWN — CLOSE  OF 

THE  WAR— TREATY  OF  PEACE — ARMY  DISBANDED — 
WASHINGTON  RESIGNS  HIS  COMMISSION— CONSTITU- 
TIONAL CONVENTION — WASHINGTON  ELECTED  PRESIDENT 
— HIS  DEATH — HIS  TOMB. 

WITH  the  battle  of  Lexington  the  war  of  the  Revolution 
may  be  said,  to  commence.  Henceforth  the  colonies 
were  united.  Georgia  no  longer  hesitated,  but  sent  her  dele- 
gates to  the  continental  Congress.  Resolutions 'were  unani- 
mously passed  to  provide  for  the  defense  of  the  country.  But 
it  was  not  till  after  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill  that  the  people 
favored  independence.  When  the  tidings  of  the  battle 
arrived,  Patrick  Henry  exclaimed:  "This  was  needed  to 
rouse  the  country  to  action."  On  the  same  day  Congress 
appointed  George  Washington  commander  in  chief  of  the 
colonial  forces.  On  the  day  following  it  elected  its  four  major- 


174 


THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 


generals.  From  deference  to  Massachusetts,  for  the  noble 
part  she  had  taken,  the  first  of  these  was  Artemas  Ward. 
The  second  was  Charles  Lee,  the  son  of  an  English  officer,  the 
third  was  Philip  Schuyler,  of  New  York;  the  fourth  was 
Israel  Putnam,  of  Connecticut.  Thus  the  country  took  up 
arms  with  only  one  general  officer,  who  drew  to  himself  the 
trust  and  love  of  the  country. 

Washington  immediately  accepted  the  position  and  wrote 
to  his  brother:  "I  bid  adieu  to  every  kind  and  domestic 
ease,  and  embark  on  a  wide  ocean,  boundless  in  its  prospect, 
and  in  which,  perhaps,  no  safe  harbor  is  to  be  found." 


GEORGE  WASHINGTON. 

Trumbull,  the  governor  of  Connecticut,  wrote  to  him:  "Now 
be  strong  and  very  courageous ;  may  the  God  of  the  armies  of 
Israel  give  you  wisdom  and  fortitude  and  cover  your  head  in 
the  day  of  battle  and  danger."  To  this  Washington  replied: 
"The  cause  of  our  common  country  calls  us  both  to  an  active 
and  dangerous  duty ;  divine  Providence,  which  wisely  orders 
the  affairs  of  men,  will  enable  us  to  discharge  it  with  fidelity 
and  success. ' ' 

Such  were  the  sentiments  which  animated  the  colonists  in 
June,  1775.  A  year  of  discussion  and  anxiety  followed,  during 


DECLARATION  OF   INDEPENDENCE.  175 

which  a  remarkable  pamphlet  was  published,  entitled, 
"Common  Sense."  The  writer,  who  embodied  in  words  the 
vague  longing  of  the  people,  mixed  with  crude  notions  of  his 
own,  was  Thomas  Paine,  the  son  of  an  English  Quaker,  and, 
at  that  time,  a  little  under  forty  years  of  age.  In  after  years 
he  became  a  profligate  and  a  reviler  of  the  scriptures,  yet,  at 
that  time,  his  writings  did  much  to  prepare  the  American 
people  for  self-government. 

However,  it  was  not  until  June,  1776,  that  the  colonists 
gave  up  the  hope  of  reconciliation.  At  that  time  the  Assembly 
of  Virginia  issued  a  famous  circular  entitled,  "The  Rights  ot 
Man."  The  leading  principles  which  it  taught  were,  that 
"government  ought  to  be  instituted  for  the  benefit  of  the 
people ;  that  freedom  of  speech  and  of  the  press  should  never 
be  interfered  with ;  and  that  religion  can  be  directed  only  by 
reason  and  conviction,  not  by  fraud  or  violence."  A  month 
later,  July  4th,  1776,  the  continental  Congress  issued  THE 
DECLARATION  OF  INDEPENDENCE.  And  for  the  support  of 
this  declaration  they  added :  ' l  With  a  firm  reliance  on  the 
protection  of  DIVINE  PROVIDENCE,  we  mutually  pledge  to 
each  other,  our  lives,  our  fortunes  and  our  sacred  honor." 

Thus  the  youthful  nation,  as  it  took  its  place  among  the 
powers  of  the  world,  proclaimed  its  faith  in  the  truth  and 
reality  and  unchangeableness  of  freedom,  virtue  and  right. 
The  heart  of  Jefferson,  in  writing  the  declaration,  and  of  Con- 
gress in  adopting  it,  beat  for  all  humanity.  The  assertion  of 
right  was  made  for  all  nations  and  for  all  coming  generations. 
It  was  addressed  to  all  mankind  and  was  destined  to  make  the 
circuit  of  the  world.  As  it  passed  by  the  despotic  countries 
of  Europe,  and  the  astonished  people  read  with  mingled  sur- 
prise and  joy,  that  "all  men  are  created  equal,"  and  have  an 
equal  right  to  life,  liberty  and  the  pursuit  of  happiness,  they 
started  as  from  the  sleep  of  years ;  like  those,  who  have  been 
exiles  from  their  native  land  from  childhood,  start  up  when 
they  suddenly  hear  the  dimly  remembered  accents  of  their 
mother  tongue. 

Whon  the  news  of  the  declaration  of  independence  reached 
England  the  spirit  of  the  nobility  was  vehement  against  the 
Americans.  Had  the  decision  of  the  conflict  hung  on  the 


176  THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

strength  of  armies  alone,  the  colonists  could  not  have  gained 
the  victory;  but  it  involved  the  interests  of  Europe's  toiling 
millions,  and  brought  into  action  ideas  which  had  hitherto  no 
opportunity  for  expression,  and  forces  which  until  then  had 
no  sphere  of  action.  The  principles  that  gave  life  to  the  new 
institutions  pervaded  history  like  a  prophecy,  and  seemed  like 
the  realizing  of  the  golden  age  of  which  the  poets  dreamed. 
The  most  profound  thinkers  and  most  intense  lovers  of  the 
race  saw  in  America's  future  an  opportunity  for  man's  higher 
development;  the  spiritual-minded  saw  in  the  history  and 
circumstances  of  America  the  wonder-working  and  controlling 
hand  of  Providence. 

The  history  of  the  military  campaigns  of  1776  and  1777, 
are  too  well  known  to  need  repetition  here.  The  Americans 
were  beaten  in  every  attack  made  upon  them,  from  the  battle 
of  Bunker  Hill,  June  17,  1775,  to  the  battle  of  Fort  Mifflin, 
October  22,  1777.  At  Cambridge  they  had  no  powder,  yet 
their  courage  and  perseverance  held  out.  They  lost  Long 
Island,  New  York,  Fort  Washington  and  more  than  three 
thousand  men.  They  fled  through  New  Jersey  followed  by 
the  victorious  English.  The  American  army  kept  on  dwindl- 
ing and  shrinking  till  it  comprised  scarcely  seven  thousand 
men,  ill  armed,  unpaid,  ill  clad  and  unfed. 

During  those  two  years  and  four  months  the  only  battles, 
that  were  precursors  of  success  and  gave  renewed  hope  and 
vigor  to  the  patriot  cause,  were  the  brilliant  successes  at 
Trenton  and  Princeton. 

It  was  the  night  before  Christmas.  The  British  lay  waiting 
for  the  Delaware  river  to  freeze  over,  that  they  might  again 
pursue  Washington  and  his  little  band.  Meanwhile  the 
Americans  collected  all  the  boats  up  and  down  the  river  for 
seventy  miles.  After  dark  they  commenced  to  cross  the  river. 
The  night  was  dark  and  tempestuous,  and  the  weather  so 
intensely  cold  that  two  of  the  soldiers  were  frozen  to  death. 
Yet  amidst  the  floating  ice  and  gusts  of  wind  they  fearlessly 
rowed  across  the  river.  At  day-break  Christmas  morning 
they  attacked  the  astonished  royalists.  Three  times  as  many 
prisoners  were  taken  as  the  number  of  the  American  troops 
engaged.  The  Americans  then  recrossed  the  river  taking  the 


_J 


ITS  THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

prisoners  with  them.  A  week  later,  Washington  made 
another  night  march  and  surprised  the  British  at  Princeton, 
capturing  prisoners  and  making  good  his  escape. 

These  exploits,  inconsiderable  as  they  may  seem,  greatly 
raised  the  spirits  of  the  American  people.  When  triumphs 
like  these  were  possible,  under  circumstances  so  discouraging, 
there  was  no  need  to  despair. 

Though  the  British  advanced  on  Philadelphia  and  took 
possession  of  it,  stiil  there  was  a  feeling  of  insecurity  in  the 
British  army.  They  knew  not  what  moment  they  might  be 
attacked. 

Notwithstanding  these  successes  jnany  of  the  American 
officers  left  the  army  in  disgust.  The  nation  could  not  pay 
her  soldiers  and  made  no  promise  of  future  indemnity.  The 
British  had  full  possession  of  New  York,  and  were  rioting 
and  feasting  at  Philadelphia.  Meanwhile  Washington  with 
his  little  army  had  retreated  to  a  secluded  place  among  the 
Pennsylvania  hills,  which  was  known  by  the  name  of  Valley 
Forge. 

As  the  men  moved  toward  the  spot  selected  for  their  winter 
resting-place,  they  had  no  clothes  to  cover  their  nakedness, 
blankets  to  lie  on,  nor  tents  to  sleep  under.  For  the  want  of 
shoes,  their  marches  through  frost  and  snow  might  be  traced 
by  the  blood  from  their  feet,  and  they  were  almost  as  often 
without  provisions  as  with  them. 

An  extract  from  one  of  Washington's  letters  to  Congress 
may  not  be  out  of  place  :  "We  have  this  day  no  less  than 
two  thousand  eight  hundred  and  ninety-eight  men  unfit  for  duty, 
because  they  are  barefoot  or  otherwise  naked.  Our  whole 
strength  in  continental  troops  amounts  to  no  more  than  eight 
thousand  two  hundred  men.  Since  the  fourth  instant,  owing 
to  hardships  and  exposures,  our  numbers  have  decreased 
nearly  two  thousand  men.  Numbers  are  obliged  to  sit  all 
night  by  the  fires ;  or  sleep  on  a  cold,  bleak  hill,  under  frost 
and  snow,  without  clothes  or  blankets."  . 

All  this  time  the  British  soldiers  in  Philadelphia  were  well 
provided  for ;  the  officers  were  living  in  luxury  at  the  expense 
of  the  inhabitants.  The  days  were  spent  in  pastime,  the 
nights  in  entertainments. 


WASHINGTON'S  PRAYER.  179 

It  was  at  this  period  of  the  war — the  darkest  through  which 
the  nation  ever  passed— that  the  following  incident  occurred. 
It  was  observed  that  each  day  after  Washington  had  visited 
the  hospital  tents  and  administered  to  the  sick  whatever 
necessities  or  comforts  he  had  in  his  power  to  bestow,  he 
retired  into  the  forest  at  some  distance  from  the  camp.  Curi- 
osity prompted  an  individual,  named  Isaac  Pitts1  ta  follow 
him.  There,  at  the  foot  of  a  large  tree,  with  head  uncovered, 
kneeling  in  the  snow,  was  seen  the  commander-in-chief  of  the 
American  armies,  engaged  in  prayer  before  Grod.  With  an 
anxious  and  burdened  mind — a  mind  conscious  of  its  need  of 
divine  support  and  consolation — Washington  went  and  rolled 
those  mighty  burdens — too  heavy  for  him  to  bear  unaided — 
upon  the  arm  of  Omnipotence.  Isaac  Pitts  related  what  he 
had  seen  and  heard,  and  on  a  subsequent  day  at  least  three 
persons  beheld  the  venerated  ''father  of  his  country,"  at 
prayer  before  his  God. 

It  is  recorded  in  Matthew  vi.,  6:  "But  thou,  when  thou 
prayest,  enter  into  thy  closet,  and  when  thou  hast  shut  thy 
door,  pray  to  thy  Father  which  is  in  secret ;  and  thy  Father, 
which  seeth  in  secret  shall  reward  thee  openly."  May  we  not 
believe  that  the  high  moral  courage  which  dared  greater 
perils  than  the  whistling  of  bullets ;  that  will  of  mighty 
strength  which  having  chosen  the  right,  though  unpopular, 
never  deviated  from  it;  that  calm  self-command,  which  bore 
up  under  the  greatest  reverses  and  still  preserved  its  equanim- 
ity amidst  the  taunts  of  enemies  and  censure  of  friends — may 
we  not  believe  that  these  things  were  among  the  open  rewards 
of  secret  prayer  ? 

From  that  time  forward  success  seems  to  have  attended  the 
American  arms.  Meanwhile  the  tidings  of  American  heroism 
and  suffering  had  reached  the  old  world  and  thrilled  the  hearts 
of  the  lovers  of  liberty  in  Europe.  Prominent  among  these 
was  the  Marquis  de  laFayette,  a  young  French  nobleman,  then 
scarcely  nineteen  years  of  age,  who  offered  to  serve  in  the 
American  army,  without  pension  or  allowance.  The  king  of 
France  dreaded  the  growth  of  civil  and  political  liberty ;  yet 
he  could  not  withstand  the  temptation  to  wreak  a  terrible 
vengeance  on  England  for  having  wrested  Canada  from  his 


180 


THfc    HAND  .OF  PROVIDENCE. 


grasp.  He  sent  a  fleet  and  army  to  America,  which  greatly 
aided  the  cause  of  Independence.  Thus  did  the  rage  of 
wicked  men  further  the  designs  of  Providence. 

While  Washington  was  still  hemmed  in  among  the  hills  of 
Pennsylvania,  the  British  general,  Burgoyne,  had  marched 
from  Canada  into  the  heart  of  New  England.  At  his  approach 
every  man  took  down  his  musket  from  the  wall  and  hurried  to 
the  front.  Little  discipline  had  they,  but  a  resolute  purpose 
and  a  sure  aim.  Difficulties  thickened  around  the  fated  army. 


SCENE  OF  BURGOYNE'S  SURRENDER. 

At  length,  Burgoyne  found  himself  at  Saratoga.  It  was  now 
October.  Heavy  rains  fell.  Provisions  were  growing  scanty. 
Gradually  it  became  evident  that  the  British  were  surrounded. 
Night  and  day  a  circle  of  fire  encompassed  them.  Burgoyne 
called  his  officers  together.  There  was  but  one  thing  to  do  and 
it  was  done.  The  British  army  surrendered.  Nearly  six 
thousand  brave  men,  in  sorrow  and  in  shame,  laid  down  their 
arms.  The  men  who  took  them  were  mere  peasants.  No  two 
of  them  were  dressed  alike.  These  grotesque  American 


TRAGIC  FATE  OF  MAJOR  ANDRE. 


1S1 


warriors  behaved  towards  their  conquered  enemies  with  true 
nobility.  General  Gates,  the  American  commander,  kept  his 
men  strictly  within  their  lines,  that  they  might  not  witness  the 
piling  of  the  British  arms.  No  taunt  was  offered,  no  look  of 

^  .--•  ^       ^  _,  •: 


MEETING    PLACE   OF  ANDRE  AND   ARNOLD. 

disrespect  was  directed  against  the  fallen.     All   were   mute 
in  astonishment  and  pity. 

One  of  the  saddest  incidents  of  the  war,  was  the  tragic 
fate  of  Major  Andre.  The  Americans  had  a  strong  fortress 
at  West  Point,  on  the  Hudson  river.  The  English  desired  to 


182  THE   HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

obtain  this  place,  as  its  possession  would  give  them  command 
of  the  Hudson  river,  up  which  their  ships  might  sail  more 
than  a  hundred  miles.  But  that  fort,  sitting  impregnably  on 
rocks,  two  hundred  feet  above  the  river,  was  hard  to  win. 
Benedict  Arnold,  a  proud  and  ambitious  American  officer, 
was  in  command  of  this  post.  Loving  money  more  than  duty, 
he  determined  to  sell  this  fortress  to  the  English.  He  opened 
negotiations  with  Sir  Henry  Clinton,  then  in  command  of  the 
English  at  New  York,  who  sent  Major  Andre  to  arrange  the 
terms  of  the  transfer. 

At  midnight  Major  Andre  landed  from  a  British  ship  at  a 
lonely  place,  where  Arnold  awaited  him.  Their  conference 
lasted  so  long,  that  it  was  deemed  unsafe  for  Andre  to  return 
to  the  ship.  It  was  determined  that  the  next  night  he  should 
attempt,  in  disguise,  to  reach  New  York  by  land.  The  pass 
given  to  him  by  Arnold,  permitted  him  to  go  through  the 
American  lines.  His  danger  might  now  be  considered  at  an 
end,  and,  under  cover  of  the  darkness,  he  rode  cheerfully  on 
his  lonely  journey,  till  he  came  to  a  small  stream.  Thick 
woods  on  each  side  made  the  darkness  still  more  gloomy. 
Suddenly  three  men  stepped  from  among  the  trees  and  ordered 
him  to  halt.  Thinking  them  to  be  friends,  he  told  them  he 
was  a  British  officer  on  very  important  business.  Alas  for 
Andre !  they  were  Americans.  Andre  was  searched,  and  in 
his  boots  were  discovered  Arnold's  drawings  of  West  Point. 
The  men  knew  then  that  he  was  a  spy.  He  vainly  offered 
them  a  large  sum  of  money,  but  the  men  nobly  refused  to  sell 
their  liberty  and  their  country  for  gold.  Andre  was  tried, 
condemned,  and,  ten  days  after,  executed. 

His  death  caused  deep  sensation  throughout  the  army  and 
England.  Men  in  England  began  to  inquire  into  the  causes 
of  this  terrible,  fratricidal  war. 

While  the  British  general,  Clinton,  was  holding  New  York, 
Lord  Cornwallis  was  fortifying  himself  in  Yorktown,  Virginia. 
The  French  fleet  sailed  for  the  Chesapeake  bay,  and  Washing- 
ton decided  to  act  in  concert  with  the  French,  and  lay  siege  to 
Yorktown.  The  bombarding  was  carried  on  with  extra- 
ordinary energy.  In  a  few  days  the  defenses  lay  in  utter  ruins. 
Cornwallis  determined  to  evacuateTorktown  and  join  Clinton 


TREATY   OF  PEACE.  183 

at  New  York.  One  night  he  began  to  embark  his  men  in 
order  to  cross  the  York  river  and  set  out  on  his  desperate 
march.  A  violent  storm  arose  and  scattered  his  boats.  All 
hope  was  now  at  an  end.  In  about  a  fortnight  from  the 
opening  of  the  siege,  the  British  army,  eight  thousand  strong, 
laid  down  its  arms. 

Well  might  the  colonists  rejoice  for  their  long  #nd*  bitter 
struggle  was  about  to  close.  Eight  years  had  passed  since  the 
first  blood  was  shed  at  Lexington.  The  representatives  of  the 
English  people  had  learned  the  causes  of  the  American  revo- 
lution, and  refused  to  continue  the  fratricidal  war.  The  inde- 
pendence of  the  United  States  was  acknowledged  and  the 
British  forces  were  withdrawn. 

On  the  30th  of  November,  1782,  a  treaty  of  peace  was 
signed  at  Versailles,  between  the  commissioners,  Benjamin 
Franklin,  John  Adams  and  John  Jay,  appointed  by  the  Con- 
gress of  the  United  States  and  those  of  Great  Britain.  The 
treaty  was  not  a  compact  imposed  by  force,  but  a  perpetual 
settlement  of  all  that  had  been  called  in  question.  By  doing 
this  act  of  justice  to  her  former  colonies,  England  rescued  her 
own  liberties  from  imminent  danger,  and  gave  a  pledge  of 
liberty  to  her  other  dependencies.  That  selfish  colonial  policy, 
which  had  led  to  the  cruel  and  unnatural  war,  was  laid  aside 
forever.  Great  Britain  was  henceforth  the  mother  of  nations 
— the  great  colonizing  power— destined  to  found  colonies  in 
every  quarter  of  the  globe,  and  sow  the  islands  of  the  ocean 
with  the  seeds  of  freedom. 

For  the  United  States,  the  war  which  began  on  Lexington 
Green,  ended  with  the  independence  and  possession  of  a 
country,  which  has  increased  till  it  is  now  thirty  times  larger 
than  the  parent  state. 

"The  boys  of  '76  "  had  fought  their  last  battle.  December 
4th,  1783,  Washington  came  to  disband  the  army.  Many  of 
the  soldiers  had  been  home  by  permission.  They  now  came 
to  bid  farewell  to  their  com mander-in- chief,  and  then  return 
to  their  great  work  of  building  a  nation.  Washington  and  his 
soldiers  met  for  the  last  time.  No  more  beating  of  drums 
or  roar  of  cannon ;  no  more  weary  marches  or  the  clash  of 
arms.  They  had  fought  side  by  side,  and  the  memories  of 


184  THE  HAND   OF   PROVIDENCE. 

those  conflicts  could  never  be  effaced.  Washington  said: 
"With  a  heart  full  of  love  and  gratitude,  I  now  take  leave  of 
you,  most  devoutly  wishing,  that  your  latter  days  may  be  as 
prosperous  and  happy,  as  your  former  ones  have  been  glorious 
and  honorable." 

The  officers  then  took  his  hand.  There  were  tears  upon  his 
cheek,  and  the  officers  felt  a  choking  in  their  throats.  They 
passed  out  of  doors  down  to  the  ferry.  Washington  stepped 
into  a  boat,  took  off  his  hat  and  waved  a  farewell.  The  oars 
of  the  rowers  soon  bore  -  him  from  New  York  to  the  New 
Jersey  side. 

At  noon  on  the  20th  of  December,  he  stood  in  the  old  hall 
of  the  state  house  at  Annapolis,  in  the  presence  of  the  Con- 
gress, which  had  called  him  from  his  quiet  home  eight  years 
before,  to  take  command  of  the  armies  of  the  United  States. 
Now  he  was  to  resign  it. 

He  said :  "I  commend  the  interests  of  our  country  to  the 
protection  of  Almighty  God,  and  those  who  have  the  super- 
intendence of  them  to  His  holy  keeping.  Having  finished 
the  work  assigned  me,  and  bidding  an  affectionate  farewell  to 
this  august  body,  under  whose  order  I  have  so  long  acted,  I 
here  offer  my  commission  and  take  leave  of  all  employments 
of  public  life." 

Thus  did  Washington  gladly  return  to  his  home  on  the 
Potomac.  The  simple  grandeur  of  his  character  was  now 
revealed  beyond  the  possibility  of  misconception.  Afterwards 
he  was  twice  elected  president ;  yet  never  abused  the  trust 
reposed  in  him.  There  were  many  who  would  have  made  him 
king.  He  trampled  on  their  offer,  and  went  back  to  his  fields 
of  corn  and  quiet  haunts  at  Mount  Vernon.  The  grandest 
act  of  his  public  life  was  to  give  up  power;  the  most  magnani- 
mous deed  of  his  private  life,  was  to  liberate  his  slaves. 

During  the  Eevolution  most  of  the  states  had  adopted 
written  codes  or  constitutions  on  which  all  their  civil  laws 
were  based.  They  were  virtually,  at  that  time,  thirteen  inde- 
pendent states.  Congress  had  but  little  authority;  could  .not 
enforce  laws  or  collect  taxes.  A  general  constitution  was 
needed,  which  would  fuse  them  into  one  nationality,  and  con- 
trol their  conflicting  interests. 


CONSTITUTIONAL  CONVENTION. 


185 


In  ]  787,  fifty-five  delegates  met  in  Philadelphia.  They  caine 
together  to  devise  means  for  perpetuating  the  liberty  they  had 
so  dearly  won.  Washington  was  appointed  to  preside  over 
the  Convention;  Thomas  Jefferson,  Patrick  Henry,  Alexander 
Hamilton  and  many  other  wise  men  were  there.  Benjamin 
Franklin  brought  to  this — his  latest  and  greatest  task — the 
ripe  experience  of  eighty-two  years.  There  were  many  per- 
plexing questions  to  be  settled.  Some  of  the  states  were 
large,  others  small :  ought  the  small  ones  to  have  equal  voice 


MOUNT  VERNON. 

in  the  government  with  the  large  ones?  They  decided  that 
Congress  should  consist  of  a  Senate  and  House  of  Representa- 
tives— two  senators  from  each  state,  no  matter  what  its  size  or 
number  of  population;  but  the  representatives  were  to  be 
elected  according  to  population.  For  four  months  the  dele- 
gates discussed  the  momentous  issues  that  came  before  them. 
They  sat  with  closed  doors;  the  world  will  never  know  how 
wise  or  foolish,  how  eloquent  or  angry  were  their  words.  At 


186 


THE  HAND   OF   PROVIDENCE. 


one  time  it  seemed  impossible  to  reconcile  their  differences. 
Benjamin  Franklin  proposed  that  the  blessing  of  God  should 
be  asked  upon  their  labors.  From  that  time  forward,  prayer 


was  offered  each  morning,  and  greater  unanimity  prevailed  in 
counsel.  A  spirit  of  concession  was  manifest,  and  a  willing- 
ness to  give  up  their  private  interests  for  the  general  good. 


INFLUENCE    OF   LA  FAYETTE.  1*7 

Thus  did  the  Spirit  of  God  act  on  the  hearts  of  the  founders 
of  this  nation. 

.  At  length  they  embodied  their  labors  in  a  written  constitu- 
tion, which,  by  a  vote  of  the  people,  became,  in  1789,  the 
supreme  law  of  the  land.  With  few  amendments  the  original 
constitution  remains  in  full  force  now,  receiving,  as  it  increases 
in  age,  the  growing  reverence  of  right  minded  people. 

Washington  was  the  first  president.  He  took  tHe  oath  of 
office  April  30th,  1789,  in  the  presence  of  a  vast  multitude. 
He  served  eight  years,  and  then  retired  again  to  Mount  Ver- 
non,  where  he  died  in  the  sixty-eighth  year  of  his  age,  Decem- 
ber 15,  1799.  His  countrymen  mourned  him  with  a  sorrow, 
sincere  and  deep.  Their  reverence  for  him  has  not  diminished 
with  the  progress  of  the  years.  To  this  day  the  steamers, 
which  ply  upon  the  Potomac,  strike  mournful  notes  as  they 
sweep  past  Mount  Vernon,  where  Washington  spent  the 
happiest  years  of  his  life,  and  where  he  now  reposes. 


CHAPTER    XIX. 


PROGRESS      OF     LIBERTY    IN 
EUROPE. 


INFLUENCE  OF  LA  FAYETTE— DESPOTISM  IN  FRANCE— THE 
BASTILE — CORRUPTIONS  OF  THE  CHURCH— COMMENCE- 
MENT OF  THE  REVOLUTION— THE  MARSEILLAISE — ITS 
WONDERFUL  INFLUENCE — REIGN  OF  TERROR — NAPOLEON 
BONAPARTE  —  HIS  WONDERFUL  CAREER  —  JEWISH 
SANHEDRIM — FALL  OF  NAPOLEON — HIS  DEATH— PRO- 
GRESS OF  LIBERTY. 

"\  17 HEN   the  war  of  independence  was  over  La  Fayette 

V  V      returned  to  France.       He  was  the  lightning-rod  by 

which  the  current  of  republican  sentiments     flashed    from 

America  to  Europe.     He  was  the  hero  of  the  hour,    A  man 


1SS  THE   HANI)    OF   PROVIDENCE. 

who  had  helped  to  set  up  a  republic  in  America, 
was  a  dangerous  element  for  old  despotic  France  to 
receive  into  her  bosom.  With  the  charm  of  a  great  name, 
immense  wealth  and  boundless  popularity  to  aid  him,  he 
everywhere  urged  that  men  should  be  free  and  self-governing. 
The  influence  of  La  Fayette  was  soon  apparent. 

The  people  of  France  were  living  under  a  government  which 
had  come  down  from  the  feudal  ages.  They  wished  to  follow 
the  example  of  the  United  States,  but  how  could  this  be 
accomplished?  The  king  could  do  as  he  pleased — make  war, 
build  fleets,  tax  the  people,  even  send  men  to  prison  when 
charged  with  no  crime,  keeping  them  in  prison  till  they  became 
old  and  gray-haired,  or  until  death  set  them  free.  Of  all  the 
gloomy  prisons  of  France,  the  Bastile  was  the  most  horrible.  Its 
dark,  deep  dungeons  were  ever  dripping  with  water  and  alive 
with  vermin.  No  straggling  ray  of  light  ever  entered  them 
The  floor  was  covered  with  mud  and  slime  and  the  bones  of 
victims  who  had  died  of  starvation. 

Louis  XV.,  king  of  France  was  accustomed  to  sign  his  name 
to  blank  letters  and  give  them  to  his  friends  to  fill  in  as  they 
pleased  the  names  of  those  they  wished  to  punish.  One  day, 
the  king  wanted  money,  and  demanded  $120,000  of  M.  Massot. 
"I  cannot  pay  it,"  he  replied,  "Into  the  Bastile  with  him," 
cried  the  king,  and  ordered  his  goods  to  be  seized.  M.  Catalan 
was  very  rich.  The  king  cast  him  into  the  Bastile  and  he  did 
not  get  out  till  he  handed  over  $1,200,000  !  Madame  de 
Pompadour,  the  mistress  of  the  king,  ruled  France,  and  woe  to 
him  who  provoked  her  displeasure!  M.  Latude,  twenty  years 
old,  offended  her,  and  the  great  door  of  the  Bastile  closed  upon 
him.  The  years  rolled  on,  Madame  de  Pompadour  and  the  king 
went  down  to  the  grave,  yet  M.  Latude  was  still  a  prisoner  in 
the  Bastile.  Thus  for  sixty  years  did  Louis  XV.,  plunder  and 
imprison  the  people  of  France. 

The  nobility,  the  priests  and  the  officers  of  the  government 
paid  no  taxes,  but,  on  the  other  hand,  received  great  revenues 
from  the  people.  They  had  nothing  to  do  except  to  eat, 
drink,  attend  balls  or  hunting  parties  and  play  cards.  They 
lived  in  fine  castles,  and  had  beautiful  parks,  gardens  and  hunt- 
ing-grounds. The  tax  collectors  came  several  times  a  year  to 


COfcRtJPTIONS   OF  THE  CHURCH.  I  S'.l 

the  poor  man's  home,  but  never  to  the  castle.  Of  every  six- 
teen dollars  produced  from  the  land  by  the  hard-working 
peasants,  the  king  took  four,  the  priests  took  four,  and  the 
nobleman  who  owned  the  land  took  five,  leaving  only  three  for 
the  poor  man  and  his  family.  Meanwhile  Louis  XVI.  suc- 
ceeded to  the  throne. 

The  church  was  as  corrupt  as  the  king.  The  priests  lived 
luxuriously  on  the  revenue  wrung  from  the  toiling  people. 
They  charged  the  people  enormous  fees  for  every  service,  for 
baptism,  marriage,  burial,  and  masses  for  the  dead.  From  the 
cradle  to  the  grave  it  was  one  continual  extortion. 

Such  was  the  condition  of  the  people  when  La  Fayette  pre- 
sented to  the  National  Assembly  a  Declaration  of  Eights.  It 
resembled  the  Declaration  of  Independence  in  many  particu- 
lars, and  declared  that  all  men  are  free  and  equal.  It  was  on 
Saturday,  July  llth,  1789,  that  La  Fayette  presented  the 
Declaration  of  Rights.  Sunday  came,  and  the  troops  were 
marching.  The  king  had  resolved  to  disperse  the  National 
Assembly,  and  if  the  people  resisted  to  mow  them  down  with 
cannon  balls.  A  great  crowd  assembled  in  the  Palais  Royal 
Garden.  They  eagerly  asked  "What  is  to  be  done?"  A  young 
man  named  Camille  Desmoulins,  sprang  upon  a  table,  with  a 
pistol  in  each  hand  to  defend  himself.  'To  arms !  to  arms !" 
he  cried,  "we  must  defend  ourselves!"  He  plucked  a  green 
leaf  and  put  it  in  his  hat-band,  for  a  plume.  The  people  fol- 
lowed his  example.  They  had  no  arms,  but  there  were 
muskets  in  the  great  arsenal,  called  the  Hotel  des  Invalides. 
They  broke  it  open  and  armed  themselves.  The  cry  rung 
through  the  streets,  '  'Down  with  the  Bastile  ! ' '  They  rushed 
to  the  gloomy  prison  and  planted  their  cannon  to  batter  down 
the  gates.  The  guards  in  the  Bastile  were  heart  and  soul  with 
the  people.  They  hung  out  a  white  flag,  and  the  prison  was 
surrendered.  Then  came  forth  to  the  light  of  day  the  emaciated 
victims  who  had  been  so  long  immured  in  its  filthy  dungeons. 

A  duke  rode  to  the  king's  palace  at  Versailles  to  tell  the 
news.  "It  is  a  revolt,"  exclaimed  the  king.  The  duke  replied, 
"Nay,  sire,  it  is  a  revolution  "  The  deluge  of  blood  had  come. 
Revengeful  men  were  roaming  the  streets  of  Paris  murdering 
the  nobles  and  the  clergy.  The  National  Assembly  ordered 


190  THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

the  Bastile  to  be  torn  down,  and  the  people  levelled  it  to  the 
ground. 

In  Strasburg,  was  a  young  man  named  Rouget  de  1'Isle. 
One  day  he  was  dining  with  his  friend  Dietrich,  and  they  talked 
of  liberty  and  equal  rights.  After  dinner,  he  went  to  his  cham- 
ber, sat  down  to  the  clavichord  and  began  to  play  and  sing. 
His  soul  was  on  fire  for  liberty  for  France.  He  seemed  to  be 
wrought  upon  by  a  higher  power.  Words  came,  and  with 
them  a  strange,  wild  melody.  He  did  not  know  which  came 
first.  He  sang  and  played,  and  played  and  sang,  and  felt  a 
strange  delight.  At  length  his  head  fell  upon  his  breast :  he 
was  asleep.  The  morning  sun  was  shining  in  his  face  when  he 
awoke  and  the  song  was  still  stirring  in  his  heart.  He  called  in 
his  friend  Dietrich  to  hear  it,  he  liked  it  well,  and  other  friends 
were  called  in  to  hear  it.  A  young  lady  sat  down  to  the  clavichord 
and  played  while  Rouget  de  1'Isle  sang : 

"Ye  sons  of  freedom,  wake  to  glory! 

Hark !  hark !  what  myriads  bid  you  rise  1 
Your  children,  wives  and  grand-sires  hoary, 

Behold  their  tears  and  hear  their  cries! 

"Shall  hateful  tyrants,  mischief  breeding, 

With  hireling  host,  a  ruffian  band, 
While  peace  and  liberty  lie  bleeding, 

Affright  and  desolate  the  land? 

"Do  you  not  hear  the  prisoners  moaning? 

Arise  ye  brave,  the  sword  unsheath, 
'Neath  tyrants  yoke  no  longer  groaning, 

Kesolved  on  liberty  or  death." 

The  peculiar  genius  of  the  French  language,  as  well  as  the 
strange  versification  of  the  song,  will  not  permit  of  an  exact 
translation. 

For  the  benefit  of  those  of  our  readers  who  understand  the 
French  language  we  give  one  of  the  stanzas  as  originally 
written : 

itQiuoi!  des  cohortes  etrarigeres, 

Feraient  la  loi  dans  nos  foyers, . 
Quoi!  ces phalanges  mercenaires 

Terrassei^aient  nosfiers  gueriers. 


NAPOLEON    BONAPARTE.  191 

Grand  Dieu!  par  des  mains  e?ickaineest 
Nos  fronts  sous  le  joug  se  plieraient, 
De  vils  despotes  deviendraient, 

Les  maitres  de  nos  destinees. 

In  a  few  hours  all  Strasburg  was  singing  it.  It  went  from 
village  to  village,  from  city  to  city,  from  province  to  province, 
and  became  known  as  the  Marseillaise,  or  national  song  of 
France,  which  above  all  other  songs  ever  written  has  stirred  the 
hearts  of  men.  Great  events  took  place.  The  king  of  France 
and  his  beautiful  queen,  Maria  Antoinette,  were  beheaded.  A 
republic  was  started,  but  was  soon  overthrown,  and  the  govern- 
ment seized  by  blood-thirsty  villains.  More  than  a  million 
people  perished  by  the  guillotine,  war,  famine  and  starvation. 

The  nation  waded  through  a  sea  of  blood.  Old  things 
passed  away  never  to  return.  The  internal  history  of  France 
during  a  period  of  two  years  from  the  fall  of  the  monarchy,  is 
perhaps  the  most  appalling  record,  which  the  annals  of  the 
human  family  present. 

Why  did  not  France  succeed  in  establishing  a  free  govern- 
ment? Because  all  such  must  be  founded  on  intelligence, 
virtue,  and  faith  in  God  and  immortality.  Out  of  the  revolu- 
tion came  the  one  man  who  could  restore  order  to  France — 
Napoleon  Bonaparte. 

It  does  not  come  within  the  limits  of  this  work  to  relate  the 
various  wars  of  Napoleon.  The  French  revolution — abortive 
as  it  seemed — rendered  forever  impossible  the  continuance  of 
the  despotism  which  had  heretofore  governed  Europe.  Napoleon, 
though  one  of  the  worst  despots,  sowed  revolutionary  principles 
broad-cast  over  Europe.  His  judicial  code  taught  the  equality 
of  man  before  the  law.  His  overthrow  of  so  many  princes 
taught  the  people  to  place  a  lower  estimate  on  the  sanctity  of 
crowned  heads.  His  consolidation  of  the  petty  German  states, 
awakened  the  desire  for  a  united  Germany  and  paved  the  way 
for  its  accomplishment.  He  introduced  constitutional  govern- 
ment to  Italy,  Westphalia  and  Spain.  He  weakend  the  tem- 
poral power  of  the  pope,  and  dealt  fatal  blows  at  the  feudal 
nobility.  His  rude  assaults  shook  to  its  foundations  the  whole 
fabric  of  European  despotism,  and  led  the  lower  orders  of  the 
people  to  entertain  new  ideas  regarding  their  own  rights. 


U)'2  THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

Never  before  had  influences  so  powerful  been  brought  so  widely 
into  operation  over  vast  multitudes  of  men. 

Napoleon,  with  the  exception  of  Oliver  Cromwell,  was  the 
first  great  statesman  in  Europe  to  engage  in  designs  for  the 
advantage  of  the  Jews.  In  1806,  the  world  heard  with  amaze- 
ment that  Napoleon  had  summoned  a  grand  Sanhedrim  of  the 
Jews  to  assemble  at  Paris.  The  twelve  great  questions  which 
Napoleon  submitted  to  the  Jewish  Eabbies  thus  assembled  and 


NAPOLEON   BONAPARTE. 

the  answers  which  they  gave  to  him,  did  much  to  dispel  popular 
prejudice  against  that  people,  and  prepare  the  way  for  their 
social  and  material  advancement.  Some  of  these  questions  and 
answers  were  of  peculiar  importance  in  a  religious  point  of 
view.  From  these  we  learn,  that  in  1806,  among  the  Jewish 
people,  and  among  some  of  the  advanced  thinkers  of  that  age, 
marriage  was  considered  null  and  void  unless  the  ceremony  was 


NAPOLEON'S  WONDHRftrt  CAHEER.  193 

performed  by  a  person  possessing  divine  authority.  Further, 
that  polygamy  is  taught  in  the  Jewish  scriptures,  but  had  been 
discontinued  by  the  Jews  by  virtue  of  a  decree  of  the  Synod  of 
Worms,  in  A.  D.  1030.  (For  further  particulars  see  "Jour rial 
des  Debats"  pour  1807.  Milmaris  History  of  the  Jews, 
page  592.) 

The  influence  which  Napoleon  exerted  upon  the  course  of 
human  affairs  is  without  parallel  in  history.  In  comparison 
with  these,  the  conquest  of  Caesar  and  Alexander  dwindle  into 
insignificance.  Never  before  had  any  man  inflicted  upon  his 
fellows,  miseries  so  appalling ;  yet  did  never  one  man's  hand 
scatter  seeds  destined  to  produce  a  harvest  of  political  change, 
so  vast  and  so  beneficent.  To  the  despots  of  Europe  he  was 
the  dreaded  apostle  of  democracy.  The  amazing  events  which 
followed  each  other  in  so  swift  succession  in  France  were 
watched  with  profound  interest  in  other  lands.  The  results 
were  quickly  apparent.  When  Napoleon  fell,  the  desire  for 
self-government  had  silently  spread  over  Europe.  The  anxiety, 
which  the  dethroned  monarchs  evinced  to  please  their  subjects, 
began  to  disclose  to  the  people  the  secret  of  their  own 
strength. 

A  congress  of  delegates  from  the  great  powers  met  in  Vienna, 
in  1814,  to  restore  the  thrones  to  the  kings  who  had  been  exiled 
during  the  wars  of  Napoleon.  They  were  blind  to  the  lesson 
which  the  revolution  had  taught.  They  dreamed  not  of  the 
new  forces  which  had  been  silently  growing  strong  underneath 
the  tumult  and  confusion  of  universal  war.  Napoleon  was  at 
length  banished  to  St.  Helena,  a  rocky  island  in  the  South 
Atlantic,  far  from  any  other  inhabited  land,  where  he  died, 
May  5th,  1 821.  Thus  darkly  closed  a  career  the  most  brilliant, 
the  most  influential,  and  the  most  remarkable  of  modern 
times. 

The  power  of  the  people  now  began  to  be  everywhere  felt. 
In  1820,  the  American  possessions  of  Spain  rose  against  the 
despotism  under  which  they  had  long  suffered,  and  successfully 
asserted  their  independence.  Insurrections  broke  out  in  Spain, 
Portugal,  Naples  and  Piedmont,  and  only  ended  when  they 
obtained  constitutional  government. 

8* 


194 


TIJ  ft  HANI*  otf 


Across  the  Adriatic,  Greece  took  encouragement  from  the 
energy  of  her  neighbors  to  assert  the  liberty  of  which  Turkish 
oppression  defrauded  her.  Helped  by  Europe,  she  succeeded. 


Athens,  once  the  seat  of  learning  and  philosophy,  the  home  of 
poets,  painters  and  sculptors,  the  city  that  once  led  the  world 
in  civilization  and  art,  became  the  capital  of  the  modern  king- 
dom of  Greece. 


I >!{<>( JRESS   OF 


195 


The  influence  continued  to  spread  until  it  effected  all  the 
states  of  western  Europe.  It  turned  men's  minds  everywhere 
to  political  thought  and  discussion.  It  quickened  the  hardy 
mountaineers  of  Switzerland  to  reorganize  their  republican  insti- 
tutions, on  the  basis  of  equal  rights.  The  little  republic  of  the 


^ 

OS 


mountains  founded  so  long  ago,  in  the  days  of  William  Tell, 
started  on  a  new  era  of  prosperity.  France,  in  1830,  once 
more  attempted  to  throw  off  the  yoke  of  her  ancient  kings. 

These  events  may  be  said  to  mark  the  complete  political 
awakening  of  Europe.     Western  Europe  was  now  free  and 


I'M1.  THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

self-governing.  The  long  and  painful  transition  from  despotism 
to  responsible  government  was  at  length  accomplished.  One 
hundred  and  eighty  millions  of  Europeans  had  risen  from  a 
degraded  vassalage  to  the  rank  and  condition  of  freemen. 


CHAPTER   XX. 

FORCES    OF     CIVILIZATION     IN     THE 
NINETEENTH       CENTURY. 


THE  GENIUS  OF  THE  AGE — EUROPEAN  WARS — AMERICA 
TRANQUIL — DECLARATION  OF  WAR — DIVISIONS  OF  NORTH 
AMERICA — UNITED  STATES — CANADA— MEXICO — AMERI- 
CAN COMMON  SCHOOLS— THEIR  INFLUENCE— PROGRESS 
OF  INVENTION — FIRST  STEAMBOAT — FIRST  LOCOMOTIVE 
—ELECTRIC  TELEGRAPH— IMPROVEMENTS  IN  PRINTING- 
SPIRITUAL  DARKNESS— THE  KINGDOM  OF  GOD— WANTS 
OF  THE  PRESENT  AGE — JOSEPH  SMITH — HIS  TRAGIC 
DEATH— CONCLUSION. 

HUMAN  history  should  be  a  record  of  progress — a  record 
of  accumulating  knowledge  and  increasing  wisdom,  of 
continual  advancement  from  a  lower  to  a  higher  platform  of 
intelligence  and  well-being.  Each  generation  should  pass  on 
to  the  next  the  treasures  which  it  has  inherited,  beneficially 
modified  by  its  own  experience,  and  enlarged  by  the  acquisi- 
tions which  itself  has  gained. 

Sometimes  the  stream  of  human  development  seems  to  pause 
and  the  years  seem  to  roll  on  without  change.  Yet  this  is 
only  apparent.  All  the  while  there  is  a  silent  accumulation  of 
forces,  which  at  length  burst  forth  in  the  violent  overthrow  of 
evils,  which  had  been  endured  for  generations. 

The  nineteenth  century,  has  witnessed  progress  beyond  all 
precedent,  for  it  has  beheld  the  overthrow  of  the  barriers  that 
prevented  progress.  It  has  vindicated  for  all  succeeding  ages, 


EUROPEAN   WARS.  197 

the  right  of  man  to  his  own  unimpeded  development.  The 
genius  of  the  age  has  tended  to  the  abolition  of  serfdom  and 
slavery,  and  the  up-lifting  of  the  poor,  the  down-trodden  and 
oppressed.  More  than  at  all  previous  times  it  has  seen  the 
removal  of  artificial  obstacles  placed  in  the  path  of  human 
progress  by  the  selfishness  and  ignorance  of  the  strong. 

At  the  opening  of  the  nineteenth  century,  all  Europe  was 
occupied  with  war.  From  the  North  to  the  shores  of  the 
Mediterranean,  from  the  confines  of  Asia  to  the  Atlantic,  men 
toiled  to  burn  each  other's  cities,  to  waste  each  other's  fields, 
and  destroy  each  other's  lives.  In  some  places  there  was  heard 
the  shout  of  victory,  in  some  the  wail  of  defeat.  The  first 
twelve  years  of  the  century  were  spent  by  America  in  profound 
tranquility.  She  looked  from  afar  with  a  serene  neutrality 
upon  the  furious  efforts  which  the  European  nations  were 
making  to  compass  the  ruin  of  each  other. 

In  process  of  time,  England  and  France,  eagerly  bent  on 
mutual  harm,  adopted  measures  which  nearly  destroyed  trans- 
Atlantic  commerce.  American  ships  lay  in  unprofitable  idle- 
ness ;  grass  grew  upon  the  untrodden  wharfs  of  New  York 
and  Philadelphia.  Moreover  the  high-handed  British  enforced 
a  hateful  claim  to  search  American  ships  and  take  away  any 
sailors  suspected  of  being  British  subjects. 

These  grievances  might  haA^e  been  peacefully  redressed ;  but 
America  and  England  were  too  angry  to  be  reasonable.  James 
Madison  was  president  at  that  time.  He  did  not  want  to  go  to 
war,  but  he  desired  to  be  elected  president  a  second  time.  His 
friends  who  were  eager  for  war  informed  him  that  unless  he 
declared  war  he  could  not  be  re-elected.  With  closed  doors 
the  bill  proposing  war  was  discussed.  It  was  passed  in  secret 
session,  and  on  June  19th,  1812,  President  Madison  affixed 
his  signature,  and  issued  a  proclamation  declaring  war  against 
Great  Britain.  The  principal  European  powers,  including 
England,  were  then  engaged  in  a  mighty  struggle  against 
Napoleon.  England  could  spare  scarcely  three  thousand  men 
for  the  defense  of  her  colonies.  The  British  forces  in  Amer- 
ica were  principaly  composed  of  Canadian  voluntiers  and 
militia. 


1(.IS  THE  HAND  OP  PROVIDENCE. 

Then  came  a  war  of  mingled  success  and  disaster.  The  sur- 
render of  Detroit,  the  disaster  at  Queenston  Heights,  the 
victory  of  Perry,  the  midnight  struggle  at  Lundy's  Lane,  the 
capture  of  Washington,  the  terrible  havoc  at  New  Orleans — 
all  these  are  too  well  known  to  need  repetition  here.  After 
two  years  and  a  half  of  mutual  injuries,  a  treaty  of  peace  was 
signed  in  which  nothing  was  said  about  the  imprisonment  of 
seamen ;  but  from  that  day  to  the  present  no  American  citizen 
has  been  imprisoned  on  board  a  British  vessel. 

Then  came  an  era  of  peaceful  industrial  progress  without 
parallel  in  the  annals  of  the  human  family.  The  forces  of 
modern  civilization  began  to  work. 

North  America  was  now  divided  into  three  great  divisions,  the 
United  States,  Canada  and  Mexico.  For  obvious  reasons  the 
United  States  has  developed  the  most  rapidly.  The  dominion 
of  Canada  is  destined  in  process  of  years  to  become  a  power- 
ful empire.  Its  area  is  more  than  three  million  five  hundred 
thousand  square  miles,  which  is  more  than  that  of  the  United 
States,  and  nearly  equal  to  the  whole  of  Europe,  Most  of 
this  enormous  region  proves  to  be  of  marvelous  fertility,  pro- 
ducing in  abundance  nearly  all  the  grains  of  temperate  regions. 
Millions  of  acres  are  added  annually  to  the  area  under  cultiva- 
tion. The  vast  and  magnificent  region  watered  by  the 
Saskatchewan  and  Assiniboine  seems  destined  to  become  one  of 
the  granaries  of  the  world.  Quietly  and  peacefully,  the 
dominion  is  growing  in  power  and  influence.  The  area  of 
cultivated  land  is  fast  extending.  Manufactures  of  all  kinds 
are  rapidly  multiplying,  and  in  ship-building  and  commerce 
she  has  already  outstripped  the  great  republic.  In  these 
respects,  if  considered  separate  from  England,  Canada  now 
ranks  the  fourth  power  in  the  ;vorld. 

Recent  developments  indicate  that  Mexico  has  an  important 
work  to  do  in  the  economy  of  God.  In  the  last  few  years  she 
has  made  astonishing  progress  in  the  arts,  sciences  and  social 
condition  of  her  people.  As  an  illustration  one  of  her  sons, 
the  late  President  Juarez  showed  himself  to  be  one  of  the  most 
remarkable  men  that  has  lived  on  this  continent  during  the 
present  century.  The  population  of  North  America  in  1 800, 
was  scarcely  more  than  ten  millions,  now  it  approaches  seventy 


AMKKN'AN   COMMON   SCtluOLK.  !'.»'.' 

inillions  and  increases  in  a  ratio  that  defies  calculation.  Already 
it  is  the  theater  of  some  of  the  most  important  events  in  the 
world's  history,  and  greater  events  still  await  the  coming 
years. 

At  the  time  that  America  commenced  to  be  governed  by  the 
first  written  constitution  that  the  world  had  ever  seen,  one  of 
the  great  questions  that  was  asked  by  the  leading  minds  of  the 
age  as  well  as  by  the  toiling  millions  of  Europe  wa*s":  *  "What 
will  be  the  future  of  America,  what  the  forces  that  will  mould 
and  fashion  it?"  One  of  these  was  the  common  school.  Here 
the  future  citizens  met  upon  a  level.  Money  and  position  in 
society  counted  nothing;  merit  won.  A  boy  with  a  patch  on 
each  knee,  his  jacket  in  rags,  who  lived  in  a  cabin,  whose 
breakfast  was  potato  and  salt,  and  whose  supper  was  mush 
and  milk,  quite  likely  stood  at  the  head  of  the  class ;  whi'e 
the  boy  who  wore  good  clothes  and  whose  father  was  rich, 
possibly  found  himself  at  the  foot  of  the  long  line  of  spellers. 

From  these  schools  many  of  the  boys  made  their  way  through 
college,  became  teachers,  ministers,  lawyers,  legislators  and 
governors.  The  lessons  there  learned  together  with  the 
instructions  of  honest  Clod- fearing  parents,  laid  the  foundation 
of  character  and  made  them  the  pioneers  of  a  new  civiliza- 
tion. 

The  education  of  the  masses  multiplied  the  number  of 
thinkers.  As  a  consequence,  mechanical  skill  and  invention  is 
the  peculiar  growth  of  the  present  century  and  the  United 
States  in  this  regard  ranks  among  the  foremost  nations  of  the 
world. 

From  the  creation  of  the  world  down  to  the  middle  of  the 
last  century,  nearly  all  the  work  of  the  world  had  been  done  by 
the  muscular  labor  of  men  or  animals. 

But  in  England  and  America  men  were  discovering  that 
machinery  might  be  made  to  do  work  of  human  hands.  It 
was  not  until  1764,  that  James  Watt  commenced  his  wonder- 
ful inventions,  and  ten  years  more  elapsed  before  his  engine 
was  of  any  practical  use. 

Meanwhile  Hargreaves,  Arkwright  and  Crompton  had 
invented  machines  for  the  manufacture  of  cloth.  In  America 
there  were  lands  well  adapted  for  raising  cotton,  but  owing  to 


200  THE  HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

the  difficulty  of  extricating  the  seeds  from  the  cotton,  but 
little  was  used  and  that  little  was  very  expensive.  In  1784, 
only  eight  bagfuls  of  cotton  were  exported  from  Savannah  to 
England  but  when  Eli  Whitney  invented  the  cotton-gin  in 
1792,  a  great  change  took  place.  It  was  seen  immediately 
that  the  machine  would  do  the  work  of  hundreds  of  men  and 
a  new  industry  and  new  product  was  given  to  the  world. 
Inconsiderable  as  these  inventions  may  seem,  they  changed  the 
clothing  material  of  the  English-speaking  people  throughout 
the  world.  In  a  few  years  their  costume  so  changed  that  they 
might  be  looked  upon  as  belonging  to  a  different  race  and  a 
different  civilization. 

On  August  27th,  1787,  while  the  National  convention  was 
at  work  at  Philadelphia  framing  the  constitution  they  were 
invited  to  behold  a  sight  that  the  world  had  never  seen.  It 
was  John  Fitch  gliding  up  stream  in  the  first  practical  steam- 
boat ever  constructed.  In  July,  1788,  the  boat  made  its  first 
trip  from  Philadelphia  up  the  river  to  Burlington — amid  the  . 
cheering  of  crowds  and  the  salvos  of  artillery.  It  continued 
to  make  trips  during  part  of  two  years  but  never  exceeded 
three  miles  an  hour.  As  the  machinery  was  imperfect  and  the 
running  expensive,  it  was  at  length  abandoned. 

Genius  is  far-sighted  and  prophetic.  John  Fitch  looking 
into  the  future  saw  that  the  time  would  come  when  steamships 
would  traverse  the  ocean,  and  glide  to  and  fro  upon  the  great 
rivers  of  the  West.  lie  went  to  Ohio  to  spend  his  last  days, 
and  when  the  shadow  of  death  was  upon  him,  he  made  this 
request,  "Bury  me  on  the  banks  of  the  Ohio  that  I  may  be  where 
the  song  of  the  boatmen  and  the  music  of  the  engines  shall 
enliven  the  stillness  of  my  resting  place."  Twenty  years  passed 
away  before  Fich's  idea  was  realized.  At  length  Robert  Fulton 
built  the  Clermont  in  1807  and  started  up  the  Hudson  river. 
The  country  people  knew  not  what  to  make  of  it.  A  Dutch- 
man shouted  to  his  wife,  "The  devil  is  on  his  way  up  the  river 
with  a  sawmill  in  a  boat."  Fulton  had  succeeded  where  others 
had  failed.  It  was  the  beginning  of  a  new  era  in  navigation. 
In  1819,  the  Savannah  was  the  first  steamboat  to  cross  the 
Atlantic  ocean.  John  Stevens  of  Hoboken,  New  Jersey 
appeared  in  1812  before  Congress  with  a  plan  for  a  railroad, 


202  THE   HAND   OF   PROVIDENCE. 

Two  years  later,  July  25th,  1814,  George  Stevenson  of  Eng- 
land completed  and  run  the  Rocket,  the  first  practical  locomo- 
tive in  the  world, 

But  it  was  not  till  September,  1825,  that  the  first  railway  for 
passengers  was  opened  in  England.  Six  years  later  railway 
trains  were  running  in  America.  The  improved  facilities  for 
traveling  by  means  of  steam,  have  had  a  wonderful  influence 
upon  society.  A  century  ago  human  society  was  composed  of 
a  multitude  of  little  communities,  dwelling  apart,  mutually 
ignorant,  and  therefore,  cherishing  mutual  antipathies.  Facili- 
ties of  travel  brought  together  men  of  different  towns  and 
different  countries.  They  learned  how  little  there  was,  on 
either  side,  to  hate,  how  much  to  love.  Thus  ancient  prejudice 
was  broken  up  by  the  fuller  knowledge  gained  by  this  extended 
acquaintance.  Peculiarities  of  dialect  and  manners  grew 
indistinct,  and  errors  of  opinion  were  corrected  by  friendly  con- 
flict of  mind. 

In  1832,  Samuel  F.  B.  Morse,  conceived  the  idea  of  the 
electric  telegraph,  and  in  1837,  Congress  granted  him  thirty 
thousand  dollars  to  aid  his  great  enterprise.  In  1844,  Pro- 
fessor Morse  sent  his  first  message  over  the  world's  first  electric 
telegraph.  The  words  were,  "What  hath  God  wrought!" 
Thus  it  was  found  that  the  same  mysterious  and  terrible  power 
which  flashes  out  in  the  midnight  storm  was  ready  to  convey 
across  continents  and  seas  the  messages  of  man.  This  use  of 
electricity  is  of  peculiar  interest.  It  is  the  first  invention  which 
is  apparently  final.  In  the  race  of  improvement  all  other  inven- 
tions and  instrumentalities  may  be  superceded.  But  what 
agency  for  conveying  intelligence  can  ever  excel  that  which  is 
instantaneous?  It  would  seem  that  here,  for  the  first  time,  the 
human  mind  has  reached  the  utmost  limits  of  its  progress. 

From  the  time  of  its  first  invention  to  the  year  1814,  scarcely 
any  improvement  had  been  made  on  the  printing  press.  A 
rude  machine,  printing  at  its  best  scarcely  150  copies  per  hour, 
was  still  universally  in  use.  Now  we  have  machines  that  print 
25,000  copies  per  hour;  books  and  papers  have  greatly 
cheapened  in  consequence.  Such  were  some  of  the  forces  at 
work  upon  society  during  the  first  half  of  the  nineteenth 
century. 


SPIRITUAL  DARKNESS.  203 

But  while  mankind  had  progressed  in  science  they  had 
remained  stationary  in  religion :  and  how  could  it  be  otherwise? 
Invention  and  discovery  are  but  the  unfolding  of  the  laws, 
attributes  and  objects  of  nature  to  man's  limited  understanding 
— the  action  of  the  divine  will  on  the  minds  of  men.  When 
God  revealed  nature's  laws,  man  progressed  scientifically :  until 
God  revealed  religious  truth  man  groped  in  spiritual  darkness. 
The  intellectual  light  of  that  age  only  made  to  observing 
minds,  their  spiritual  night  more  palpable ;  even  as  a  candle 
shining  in  the  night  only  intensifies  the  surrounding  gloom. 
Many  leading  minds  perceived  somewhat,  the  errors  of  the 
times,  and  sought  to  bring  about  reform  in  various. ways.  These 
attempts  brought  forth  discussion  and  division.  The  disinte- 
gration which  had  commenced  in  the  days  of  Luther,  now 
worked  with  unexampled  rapidity,  until  the  various  so-called 
Christian  sects  numbered  more  than  six  hundred,  each  tena- 
cious of  its  own  ideas,  and  bitterly  denouncing  all  the 
others. 

None  of  these  jarring  sects  ever  had  divine  authority;  in 
fact,  they  denied  the  possibility  of  revelation  from  God.  Even 
admitting  their  claims,  their  creeds  are  only  the  crystalized  ideas 
of  the  leading  men  of  the  age  that  gave  them  birth.  For 
example,  Rome  depended  not  upon  revelation,  nor  even  upon 
the  letter  of  the  scriptures,  but  upon  the  tradition 
of  the  fathers.  In  other  words,  the  rule  of  faith,  in  the  church 
of  Rome  was  the  conflicting  opinions  of  men — often  ill-informed 
and  superstitious — who  lived  between  the  great  apostasy  and 
the  time  of  Luther. 

So  again,  the  creed  of  Lutherism  is  only  the  best  ideas  of 
men  who  lived  in  Central  Europe  three  hundred  and  fifty  years 
ago.  In  like  manner,  Presbyterianism  is  the  reflex  of  the  stern 
and  rugged  character  of  the  Scotch  in  the  17th  century.  So 
also  Methodism  and  Quakerism  are  the  products  of  zealous 
English  reformers  in  the  17th  and  18th  centuries.  All  of  the 
religions  that  existed  in  America  at  the  beginning  of  this  cen- 
tury, were  the  outgrowth  of  European  thought.  They  were 
systems  that  had  been  transplanted  from  foreign  lands,  by  no 
means  adapted  to  the  progressive  ideas  that  prevail  on  this 
continent. 


204  THE    HAND  OF  PROVIDENCE. 

Humanly  speaking,  it  was  time  to  establish  a  religion,  which 
should  harmonize  with  the  circumstances  and  age  in  which  we 
live.  Divinely  speaking,  man  had  become  so  developed  and 
disciplined  that  he  could  receive  the  gospel.  It  was  the  Lord's 
due  time  to^again  reveal  His  will  and  set  up  His  kingdom  upon 
the  earth. 

Not  only  was  the  age  peculiar,  but  likewise  the  land  in  which 
this  work  was  to  be  accomplished.  The  governments  of 
European  countries  were  all  committed  to  some  particular 
creed,  some  peculiar  form  of  religious  worship.  But  in  Amer- 
ica there  was  no  established  religion.  All  were  free  to  accept 
or  reject  the  truth  untrammelled  by  the  arbitrary  requirements 
of  the  civil  law. 

The  instrumentalities  used  for  the  establishment  of  this  work 
were  very  peculiar.  No  hoary-headed  philosopher,  full  of 
worldly  wisdom;  no  crafty  politician,  zealous  for  a  party  or  sect; 
no  profound  doctor  of  divinity,  deeply  versed  in  antiquarian 
lore,  was  appointed  to  do  this  work.  No!  A  pure  and 
ingenuous  youth,  who  had  spent  the  few  years  of  his  mortal 
life  in  the  quiet  and  peaceful  avocations  of  agricultural  life — a 
youth  who  had  not  yet  drunk  in  the  poison  of  man's  theology 
— such  was  the  instrument  chosen  by  the  Almighty  for  the 
execution  of  His  purposes. 

The  sublime  and  tragic  history  of  Joseph  Smith  is  too  well 
known  to  need  repetition  here.  A  few  leading  facts  will  suffice. 
Joseph  Smith  was  born  December  23rd,  1805,  at  Sharon, 
Windsor  Co. ,  Vt.  He  received  his  first  vision  on  the  morning 
of  a  beautiful,  clear  day,  early  in  the  Spring  of  1820. 
Joseph  was  then  a  little  more  than  fourteen  years  of  age.  Three 
years  and  a  half  passed  away,  when  he  received  his  second 
vision.  It  was  September  21st,  1823;  he  had  retired  to  rest 
when  the  divine  messenger  made  his  appearance.  During  the 
night  the  angel  appeared  three  times  to  Joseph,  and  imme- 
diately after,  the  dawn  approached ;  so  that  their  interviews 
must  have  occupied  the  whole  of  that  night.  Thrice  had 
the  angel  descended,  and  thrice  had  he  ascended,  with  all 
the  circumstances  of  reality.  There  is  something  grand 
in  the  very  simplicity  of  the  narrative  of  Joseph  and  all  the 
more  impressive  when  we  consider  his  mental  and  physical 


WANTS   OF  THE  PRESENT  AGE.  205 

characteristics — a  man  of  lofty  stature  and  giant  mind.  He 
dwelt  in  the  very  glare  and  illumination  of  a  spiritual  existence, 
and  yet  was  the  founder,  organizer  and  leader  of  a  latter-day 
Israel.  Not  more  real  was  Jacob's  angel  with  whom  he  wrestled 
all  night,  than  were  the  angels  of  our  times  to  Joseph.  Then 
he  commenced  a  life  of  toil  and  persecution — toil  in  the  service 
of  his  divine  Master,  persecution  from  the  enemy  of  all 
good. 

We  can  only  understand  the  life  and  character  of  Joseph 
Smith,  when  we  consider  the  peculiar  wants  of  the  present  age. 
Never  was  there  a  time  in  the  history  of  the  race  when  learning 
and  general  intelligence  were  so  well  diffused  as  at  the  present. 
The  press  is  throwing  off  continually  its  millions  of  printed 
pages  which  are  scattered  broadcast,  as  the  leaves  of 
autumn. 

Never  was  there  a  time  of  more  intense  activity.  Who  can 
pass  through  the  crowded  streets  of  our  cities,  listen  to  the 
throbbing  of  the  steam  engine,  the  hum  of  machinery,  gaze  at 
the  vast  trains  that  are  driven  with  fire  and  vapor  along  our 
railways,  or  view  those  magnificent  structures  that  cross  the 
mighty  deep  without  feeling  that  this  is  an'earnest  age? 

Now  this  earnest,  active,  thinking  age,  demands  a'religion 
that  has  life  and  power  in  it.  Not  a  religion  of  cold  formality 
and  narrow  sectarianism,  but  a  religion  that  will  satisfy  the 
intelligent  with  its  truths,  and  touch  the  heart  with  its  love, 
and  sway  the  will  with  its  persuasiveness,  and  gratify  the  taste 
with  its  beauties,  and  fill  the  imagination  with  its  sublimities. 
A  religion  is  wanted  that  will  enlist  upon  its  side  the  whole 
nature  of  man  and  command  his  willing  and  j  devoted  'homage; 
a  religion,  that,  bearing  the  full  impress  of  its  Author's  image, 
shall  carry  its  own  credentials  with  it,  and  which,  clothed  with 
all  the  elements  of  truth  and  righteousness,  beauty  and 
grandeur,  of  love  and  power,  shall  be  revered  by  all  those  who 
love  the  truth,  rand  dreaded  by  all  who  love  it  not. 

It  is  evident  to  "every  thinking'mind  that  the  strife  and  con- 
fusion and  babel  of  the  six  hundred  jarring  sects  of  Christen- 
dom can  not  do  this.  Their  half-deserted  cathedrals  and  cold, 
formal  ceremonies,  as  well  as  the  triumphant  march  of  infidelity 


206  THE   HAND   OF  PROVIDENCE. 

and  crime,  attest  the  fact,  that  they  have  lost  their  hold  on  the 
masses  of  men. 

As  in  the  days  of  old  the  Lord  renewed  his  communications 
with  man  through  the  dutiful  and  obedient  Samuel;  so  in  this 
age  he  spake  to  the  youthful  Joseph.  And  how  did  Joseph 
accomplish  so  much  in  so  short  a  time?  Simply  because  he 
entered  into  his  work  with  his  whole  heart.  He  allowed  no  infer- 
ior object  to  weaken  his  interest  or  divide  his  attention,  and  he 
continually  sought  the  inspiration  of  the  Almighty,  who  came  to 
his  aid  and  enabled  him  to  accomplish  in  the  short  space  of  a 
few  years  the  mightiest  work  that  any  man  has  wrought  since 
the  Savior  was  upon  the  earth.  After  an  active  and  self-sacri- 
ficing life  of  nearly  thirty-nine  years,  he  was  brutally  murdered 
by  a  mob  June  27th,  1844. 

Thus  lived,  suffered,  toiled,  and  died,  the  martyr-prophet  of 
the  nineteenth  century.  Thus  flashed  athwart  the  spiritual  dark- 
ness of  his  age,  the  light  of  the  latter  days.  Even  as  in  days 
of  old  the  light  shone  in  the  darkness  and  the  darkness  com- 
prehended it  not.  Contemplating  his  death  the  mind  instinc- 
tively reverts  to  that  scene,  when  the  Savior  suffered  on  Cal- 
vary, eighteen  hundred  years  ago.  Across  the  ages  stride  the 
footprints  of  the  self-same  spirit.  Unconsciously  are  associated 
the  death  of  the  Reedemer  and  the  matyrdom  of  His  servant. 
Already  the  principles  enunciated  by  Joseph  Smith,  have 
shaken  the  religious  world  from  center  to  circumference.  The 
ignorant  may  effect  to  scorn,  yet  the  day  is  nigh,  when  America 
will  be  proud  of  her  prophet  son. 


LIST   OF    ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Mount  Calvary  Frontispiece 

Page. 

Jerusalem                     •  10 

Coliseum  14 

Fakir  16 

Damascus  29 

Interior  of  a  Saracen  Palace  41 

Eruption  of  Mount  Vesuvius  46 

Constantinople  49 

Church  of  the  Holy  Sepulchre  55 

Ancient  Vessels  62 

Dungeon  of  the  Inquisition  69 

Christopher  Columbus  79 

Ships  of  Columbus  82 

Landing  of  Columbus  83 

The  Straits  of  Magellan  90 

The  Rack  93 

Ancient  Peruvian  Residence  108 

Ancient  Tower  at  Newport  110 

Mammoth  H5 

Mummy  119 

Massacre  of  the  Incas  151 

Landing  of  the  Pilgrims  132 

Fox  in  Discussion  142 

Penn's  Treaty  with  the  Indians  144 

John  Wesley  153 

First  American  Almanac  159 

Benjamin  Franklin  160 

George  Washington  174 


208  LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Washington  Crossing  the  Delaware  177 

Scene  of  Burgoyne's  Surrender  180 

Meeting  Place  of  Andre  and  Arnold  181 

Mount  Vernon  185 

The  Tomb  of  Washington  186 

Napoleon  Bonaparte  192 

The  City  of  Athens  194 

Scene  in  Switzerland  195 

An  Ocean  Steamer  201 


INDEX 


Abou-Beker  28 

Adam  Smith  71,154 

Alhazin  37 

Andalusia  31,40 

America  Discovered  84 

American  Antiquities  109-112 

Africa,  First  Map  of  89 

Apostasy  of  Primitive  Church  13 

Arabia,  Description  of  20 

Arabic  Notation  36 

Ayesha  28 

Armada,  Invincible  104,105 

Ancient  American  Races  114,117 

Acadia,  Colonization  of  126,127 

Almanac,  First  American  158,159 

Adams,  Samuel  167 

Antimony,  Why  so  Called  73 

Arnold's  Treason  182 

Andre,  Major  181 

American  Revolution  173 

Al  Mamun  Measures  the  Earth  37 

Andalusia,  Conquest  of  31 

Atmospheric  Refraction.  38 

Arabian  Astronomy  36 

Arnold  of  Brescia  67,68 

Bacon,  Roger  73 

Bastile  188,189 

Bozrah  22,28 

Bagdad,  University  of  35 

Boheim,  Hans  94 

Balboa  Discovers  Pacific  Ocean.  89 

Bruno,  Death  of  104 


210  INDEX. 

Barbarism  of  Europe  42 

Boniface  IX.  76 

Byzantium  48,50 

Bible  First  Printed  78 
Brewster.  129,130 

"  Library  134 

Brindley,  James  154 
British  India  155,156 

Burgoyne's  Surrender  180 

Bonaparte  180 

Bible,  Influence  of  124 

Caaba  21 

Cadijah  24 

Caliphate  27 

Caliphs  Patronize  Learning  35 

Chivalry,  Rise  of  65,66 

Canada  198 

"       First  Settlements  in  126 

Common  Schools,  Effect  of  199 

Christians  Persecuted  13 

Christian,  Early  Sects  23 

Columbus  78 

Vessels  of  81 

Compass,  Mariner's  37 

Constantine,  Crimes  of  47 

Constantinople  48 

View  of  49 

Siege  of  50,51 

Cholula,  Pyramid  of  112 

Cotton- Gin,  Invention  of  200 

Copernicus  103,104 

Constitutional  Convention  185 

Coliseum  14 

Crusades  59 

"        of  Children  61 

Results  of  63 

Culture  of  Women  Among  Saracens  42 

Cyril  of  Alexandria  44 

"    the  Priest  71 


INDEX.  211 

Civilization  of  Mexico  117,118 

of  Peru  118,120 

Chaniplain's  Voyages  126 

Chatham,  Earl  of  168 

Cromwell  133 

Confederation,  First  American  135 

Colonizing  of  New  England  128 

Charles!  133,134 

Chemistry,  Origin  of  36 

Carver,  John  131 

Cartier,  Jacques  126 

Damascus,  Capture  of  29 

Destruction  of  Jerusalem  11,12 

Destruction  of  Herculaneum  and  Pompeii  45 

Dominicans  67 

Discovery  of  America  84 

Declaration  of  Independence  175 

Delaware  Crossed  by  Washington  176 

Diet  of  Worms  95 

Earth  Proved  to  be  Round  37 

u^  Circumnavigated  89,92 

Earl  of  Chatham  168 

Extent  of  Primitive  Church  9 

Extension  of  English  Language  157 

Europe  Assumes  Modern  Form  74 

Everlasting  Gospel,  The  71,72 

Everlasting  Gospel,  Its  Teachings  72 

Everlasting  Grospel,  Its  Influence  73 

Esdras,  Account  of  87 

English  Revolution  149 

Electric  Telegraph  202 

England's  Dominion  156 

Ebn  Junis  Invents  the  Pendulum  38 

Franciscans  67 

Frederick  II.  of  Italy  70 

His  Liberal  Policy  71 

Fox,  George  141-143 

Fitch,  John  200 

French  Revolution  189 


212  INDEX. 

Fall  River  Skeleton  109 
Franklin,  Benjamin  158,  161 

Female  Physicians  43 

Qregorian  Calendar  37 

G-utenberg  77 

Grin  First  Made  151 

General  Gates  181 

General  Revolution  162 

Galileo,  His  Degradation  104 
Globes  First  Used  by  Arabs  34,43 

Greece,  Kingdom  of  194 

Hampden,  John  13s 

Harvard  College  Founded  133 

Holland,  Description  of  136 

Henry,  Patrick  168 

Heraclius,  Emperor  30 

Haroun  al  Raschid  36 

Herculaneum  Destroyed  45 

Huss  Burned  92 

Hypatia  44 

Huguenots,  Massacre  of  136 
Flee  to  America                                           146,155 

Howard,  John  153 

Henry  IY.  of  Germany,  a  Penitent  55 

Human  Sacrifices  113 
Incas,  Massacre  of  120,121 
India,  British  155,156 

Indians,  Penn's  Treaty  with  146 

Indian  Races  Destroyed  107 

Inquisition  Established  70 
Innocent  III.  67,68,70 

Influence  of  Minstrels  66 

Invention  of  Printing  77 

Invention  of  Steelyards  38 

Jamestown  Founded  127 

Jerusalem  destroyed  by  Romans  12 

Captured  by  Saracens  29 

Taken  by  Crusaders  60 

Joss  Fritz  94 


INDEX.  213 

Juarez 

Judaism,  Golden  Age  of 

Jews  Expelled  from  Spain 

Koran 

Khaled 

La  Fayette 

Leyden,  Siege  of  .  ,,137-140 

Luther,  Martin  95>96 

Locomotive,  First 

Levaur,  Massacre  of  70 

Massacre  in  Southern  France 

Mahomet  21~26 

Mahometan  Schools 

Marco  Polo,  Travels  of  73,74 

Magellan's  Voyage 

Monasteries,  Rise  of 

Munzer's  Proclamation 

Mexican  Pyramids 

Year 
"        Arts  and  Sciences 

Mammoth,  Remains  of  115 

Maryland  Colonized 

Methodists,  Rise  of  151 

Montesquieu 

Marseillaise 

Morse,  Samuel  F.  B.  202 

Ei"estorians 

Newport  Tower 

Newspaper,  First 

Napoleon  Bonaparte 

"        his  Influence  193 

his  Death 

Netherlands,  Independence  of 

Omar  Caliph 

Ottoman  Turks 

Oliver  Cromwell 

Old  South  Church  Incident  170 

Peter  Waldo 

Peter  the  Hermit  58 


214  INDEX. 

Pompeii  Destroyed  45 

Peasant's  War  97 

Printing,  Invention  of  77 

Persecution  of  Christians  13 

of  Quakers  148 

Peru,  Description  of  118,120 

Penn,  William  143-146 

Pennsylvania  Founded  145 

Pitt,  William  155,  157 

Paine,  Thomas  175 

Pilgrim  Fathers  129,  133 

Pyramids  of  Mexico  112 

Quebec  Founded  126 

Quetzalcoatl  112,  122 

Quakerism,  Rise  of  141 

Queen  Isabella  81 

Raymond,  Earl  of  Toulouse  68 

Relic- Worship  54 

Richard  the  Lion-Hearted  61-63 

Rise  of  Chivalry  65,  66 

Reformation  95-99 

Religion  of  Mexico  116,  117 

Roger  Williams  147 

Rum,  First  Made  151 

Revolutions  General  162 

Rosseau  163 

Revere,  Paul  172 

Rouget  de  1'Isle  190 

Revolution,  French  189 

Railroad,  First  202 

Robinson '  s  Prophecy  1 30 

Saracen,  Conquest  of  30 

u  Discoveries  36 

Expelled  from  Spain  109 

Cities  40 

"  Schools  42 

Ships  of  Columbus  81 

Servetus,  Death  of  103 

Smith,  Adam  154 


INDEX.  - !  ;> 

stamp  Act  '  (;|; 

Steamboat,  First 
Smith,  Joseph 

"     His  Birth 
"          u      His  Death 
Spain,  Degradation  of 
Spanish- American  Revolution 
Skeleton,  Fall  River  ^^^ 

Ten  Tribes 

TeC/hl-nted  SIT?         ** 

Twilight,  Reason  of 

Valley  Forge  ™ 

Yasco  de  Gama 

Vesuvius,  Eruption  of 

Van  der  Werf,  Speech  of 

Voltaire 

Worms,  Diet  of 

Synod  of 

Worship,  Corrupted 
Waldenses,  Rise  of 
Waldo,  Peter 

Witchcraft  100,  10J; 

Williams,  Roger 
Whitfield,  G-eorge 

Wesley,  Charles  152 

Wesley,  John  152 

Wilberforce,  William 
Watt,  James 
Washington's  Boyhood 
Washington  Chosen  General  174 

as  President 

Washington' s  Death  ]  87 

Woman,  Condition  of,  Among  the  Saracens  42,  43 

Wyandotts,  Tradition  of  122 

Ziska,  John  94 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 
BERKELEY 

Return  to  desk  from  which  borrowed. 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 


1     1947 


LD  21-100ra-9,'47(A5702sl6)476 


YB  249,24- 


